


Teen Titans: Season Six

by Dardum (Darda)



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Good Writing, Hurts So Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-27 04:26:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 56,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7603336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darda/pseuds/Dardum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the sixth season, the Titans take on a new round of villains who are out to cause more than their fair share of mischief. Along with their newfound adversaries, the Titans must face a few demons of the past in an effort to find peace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Old Habits

The buildings of Jump City rumbled on the verge of collapse as the ground beneath them quivered violently. Not far from the extending Bay Bridge, a battle royale raged on in the city streets. Civilians dashed for cover as a power struggle between the White monster and the Titans intensified.

"I fear that nothing is working against the creature!" Starfire shouted after firing a flood of starbolts at the creature from behind debris Raven was using as a makeshift blockade.

"Everything we throw at it ends up getting thrown right back," Cyborg winced as he tried to recover after taking a four by four to the chest.

"We need a new plan of attack," Raven added as she continued to use her powers to keep their only defense from crumbling around them.

"We need Beast Boy!" Robin demanded through gritted teeth as the White Monster advanced on them.

Just then, as if by some miracle, or just good timing, a green-skinned tyrannosaurus swatted the creature off to the side with its tail. The monster was sent flying through the air, crashing from one car to the next. It smashed into a building a few hundred yards away, nearly bringing it down in the process.

"You called?" Beast Boy grinned proudly after morphing back into his human form.

"Where have you been?" Robin snapped. His aggression was a clear translation for the silence coming from the others.

"Dudes, you're never gonna believe this, but I swear I just saw-"

"Now's not the time," Robin interrupted him as he motioned in the direction of the monster.

It struggled to its feet. Its body had morphed to adapt to its surroundings so many times at this point that it was now a different kind of material on each limb. Its red eyes stared down the Titans. Even though it was a formidable opponent, its outnumbered stance had began to take a clear toll.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted.

As Starfire fired of another flurry of starbolts, followed by Cyborg's sonic blast, the monster tried to evade, but dark energy in the shape of a raven's claw engulfed the creature and prevented its escape allowing for a direct hit. The White Monster had now been brought to its knees as Robin leapt into action and tied it up with his resistant nylon rope. A green triceratops charged the monster, the sharpened horns of the dinosaur impaled the creature head-on. Like a fork being jammed into a toaster, Beast Boy was sent flying off due to an electric shock.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire shrieked as she rushed to his aid. "Friend, please tell me you are undamaged!"

"What happened?" He groaned in agony as he sat up. Smoke had begun to rise from his spiked hair as Starfire tried her best to snuff out the flames without causing a need for panic. "What is that thing?" He asked just as Starfire nearly knocked his head off with a swift pat. "Ow!" He cried.

"Only one way to find out." Robin concluded as he moved closer to the creature's head, his staff at the ready as the others gathered around as well.

Sparks continued to flash along the puncture wounds that were made in its torso. Its once-red eyes were now a dimmed gray. Robin, who was now standing directly over it, used his staff to lift the mask which only revealed circuitry. There was no crazed, blue magician, no evil psychopath bent on the destruction of the team or even a floating brain in a glorified pickle jar - just a robot.

"Is it no longer a threat?" Starfire asked.

"Not in this condition." He examined the contraption once more before settling with his answer. "Come on, let's go home."

[ **scene break** ]

Titans Tower seemed incredibly massive. It had been months since the team left the Jump City bay in order to take on the Brotherhood of Evil along with their newfound alliances. All the life that was once a part of the tower was now non-existent. It loomed over the city like a dark cloud did just before a storm.

"Man, oh man," Cyborg took in as big a whiff as he could of the familiar, inviting scent. "Feels good to actually be home! No more chasing crazy villains around the world, or around the city for that matter."

"Oh yes! I have missed my home and my bed and my Silkie!" Starfire chimed in as she began her search for the moth larvae. "Here Silkie, Silkie." She called out. "Where are you my little bumgorf?" She continued as she made her way from the room with the others.

"It feels surprisingly..." Raven searched her mind for the right words, "good to be back."

"'Good'?" Beast Boy scoffed. "It feels more than good! It feels great! To be back in my home, in my bed, on my couch watching Super Fantasmo Monkey Crew with a scrumptious tofu sandwich!" He continued with a look of bliss sprawled across his face as he made his way to the kitchen area.

"I have to admit, I did miss this place. It feels nice to finally be able to come back after being gone for so long." Robin agreed as Starfire re-entered the room lifting his cape, still searching for her lost Silkie.

"Oh," she whispered wearily, "I do not know where the Silkie has gone." She cried. "I have searched my room and his favorite place of hiding, the toilet, but I fear that this time he has run away."

"No!" Beast Boy screamed as he fell to his knees in dismay.

"Beast Boy! What is it? What's wrong?" Robin demanded.

"The... the... the..." he sniffled over his words.

"Spit it out!"

"The... tofu!"

"What?"

"Silkie!" Starfire squealed as the overstuffed larva slinked over to her. "Oh how I have missed you so!" She took the smiling larvae into her arms and gave it one of her overpowering hugs.

"Uh, what's going on?" Raven asked.

"Starfire's worm ate all of my tofu!" Beast Boy exclaimed as tears streamed down his face. Silkie then let out a belch of contentment.

"Dude, you're crying over a bunch of meatless meat?" Cyborg teased.

"For the thousandth time, it's not meat! It's tofu! There's clear difference!"

"It's still nasty," Cyborg added.

"Beast Boy," Starfire hovered over to him, "I wish you to forgive the Silkie. He did not know it was your tofu, surely. He had no one who could tend to him when we were away doing battle with the Brotherhood of Evil."

Beast Boy took one look at the squirming baby bug whose mouth was still lined with tofu and turned the other way in frustration. "Humph." He huffed.

Starfire hovered to the other side of him and extended Silkie outwards to him. "Please do not be angry with him." Beast Boy had turned his back on Silkie, but looked back at him and remembered when he once shared Starfire's compassion for the larvae. Suddenly he couldn't find it in himself to resist the charm of the little bug.

"Fine," he groaned, "but don't let that skunk beetle near the remote!"

"All is forgiven, my little skunk beetle." She smiled as she twirled off in happiness with a smiling Silkie in her arms.

"So... what now?" Raven asked.

"Now, we relax!" Cyborg shouted as he plopped down on the gray sectional with the remote. "Let's see what's going on with the FasCar racing channel."

"Oh no! Dude, I wanna watch Super Fantasmo Monkey Crew!" Beast Boy demanded as he jumped onto Cyborg in an attempt to seize the remote.

"Man, ain't nobody wanna watch the Super Fantasia Gorilla Gang."

"It's Super Fantasmo Monkey Crew, and I said gimme!" Beast Boy shouted while climbing all over the stretching and extending Cyborg.

"And I said no!"

"Gimme!"

"No!"

"Give me the remote, Cyborg!"

Suddenly, the view that looked out over the Jump City bay turned from clear to static as the TV switched on. The sudden intense volume levels caused the Titans to duck for cover as they all covered their ears. The incredible vibrations shook the tower at its core.

"Turn it off!" Robin demanded over the way-too-loud volume.

"I can't!" Beast Boy cried. "It's not working!"

And just as quickly as it started, it finished. Instead of static there was now a black screen.

"Now look what you did." Raven glared as she and the others recovered.

"Me? I didn't do anything! Cyborg is the one who had the remote!"

"You probably messed it up trying to take it from me!"

"I didn't do anything!" Beast Boy insisted.

"Good afternoon, Titans." A distinct and sultry voice greeted the young heroes from, where they assumed, the TV. They all turned their undivided attention to the black screen. "You don't know who I am now, but you will, and when that time comes you'll wish the Brotherhood finished you off." You could hear the cynical smile in the unknown voice.

"Who are you? What's going on?" Robin barked.

"In good time, my dear Robin. In good time you'll find out that I am your worst nightmare come to life." The voice in the void answered. "I must admit, Titans," the word came out as if it were soaked in disdain, "you took out my android much quicker than I anticipated. It was a real treat the whole thing."

"You sent the android!" Robin repeated. "Who are you?" He demanded.

However, before he could get an answer, the TV then reverted back to a clear screen. The voice lingered in the air like a thick fog snaking its way throughout the room. The Titans all exchanged uneasy looks with each other.

"Talk about crime never takes a break." Beast Boy sighed as he slouched onto the couch.

"Cyborg, can you lock on a transmission signal?" Robin asked.

"I can try,"

"We need to find out who or what is doing this and we need to be ready." He gritted his teeth together.

"Do you think it could have been Slade?" It was clear that Starfire had her reservations about saying his name around Robin, but she may have been on to something. "After all it would not be the first time he has tried to exterminate us with such intricate machinery as the android."

"She's right," Raven added. "It could just be another one of his games."

"No." Robin said with absolution. "I know Slade and I could tell that wasn't him."

"Can you be so certain?"

"I'm sure of it. There are similarities, but in the end there's only one Slade and that wasn't him."

"I can't get a read, Robin." Cyborg said. "The static from earlier was a disruption signal and I'm not bringing up any hacking traces in the security system. Whoever we're dealing with knew what they were doing."

"Figures. We could be dealing with a new, very powerful villain here. For someone to have the means to create something like that... this could be bad."

"You really think so?" Cyborg asked.

"I can't be sure, but I have a bad feeling about this. The android, the ability to hack our system without leaving a single trace? Whatever, or whoever it is isn't afraid of pulling out all the stops." Robin noted as he looked out the window.

The others gave each other worried looks.

"Come on dudes," Beast Boy jumped up from the couch. "We just defeated an entire brotherhood of villains, made it back home safely, established communications with other Titans all over the universe, and just took out some freakish robot assassin! If there's anything to be sure of, it's that we're the Teen Titans, and there's nothing we can't handle!" Just as Beast Boy punched the air above him for dramatic effect, a sudden rumble could be felt throughout the room. Seconds later, the roof above Beast Boy caved in causing him and the others to dart out of the way.

"Nice going." Raven patronized as she emerged from a dark force field.

"I do not think that was Beast Boy," Starfire speculated. "Look." She pointed to a gaping hole in the ceiling. There appeared to be figures moving around through the smoke.

"Titans, get ready." Robin ordered as they all huddled together.

They stood their ground ready for a fight, but once the smoke cleared they were able to see that nothing was there. All that appeared through the hole was a blue sky and a clear day. Nothing out of the ordinary except for the hole itself.

"Ooo-kay," Cyborg said as he lowered his sonic cannon, "what are we getting ready for?"

"Perhaps it was merely an accident?"

"No, that hole is too perfect to be an accident." Robin said as he examined the gaping fault.

"It looks like an ordinary cave-in to me," Raven insinuated.

"Yeah, I mean we have been gone for a while. Maybe the structure jus-" Cyborg was caught off guard mid-sentence as a glowing pair of red eyes sucked him into the floor.

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy screeched.

"Where did he-" Raven began, but she too was grabbed and sucked into a wall.

"Where have our friends gone?" Starfire's voice was both shaken and scared as she readied her starbolts.

"I don't know, but we need to stick together and find out what's going on here." Robin said in a panic.

"Agreed."

"Are you in Beast Boy?" Robin asked. "Beast Boy?" Both Robin and Starfire turned their attention to where Beast Boy once stood only to see him being dragged away into another one of the walls. A terrified expression crossed his face as his mouth was muffled.

"Beast Boy!" Robin shouted as he made a mad dash for his teammate, but was not fast enough. "No!" He pounded the wall with his fist.

"What are we to do, Robin? Our friends have been taken by our home!"

"Not by the tower, but I have an idea of what's going on."

"You do?"

"Do you remember the android we fought downtown? And how it could change its body to match any material and blend in?"

"I do."

"I'm thinking that hole was made by a few of its friends. They were able to blend in with the tower which is why we couldn't see them." He said examining the hole. "The real question is who's the mastermind behind this whole thing, and what do they want with us?" He paused, contemplating. "I mean it all kind of seems to have Slade written on it, but I'm still not positive. What about you, Starfire? Any ideas?" Silence. "Starfire?" He turned to where she last was, but there was no one there anymore. It seemed as he was the only one in the room and, for all he knew, in the whole tower. "Starfire?" No answer. "How is this possible?" He questioned as, unbeknownst to him, another pair of glowing red eyes appeared from behind. "Whoever it is must have eyes on the-" With a quickness the android pounced on Robin and, using its materializing abilities, drove them both into the floor, disappearing.

It felt as if his body was turned to mush and they were just slipping on through the cracks. His head began to spin and his vision blurred, and what seemed like hours was over within seconds. He felt his back stiffen with pain as he collided with the barbells in the weight room. He quickly rebounded and did a back flip, landing on his feet. The sting from the impact with the weights caused him to take a knee in pain.

"I don't know who put you together, but I'm gonna enjoy taking you apart." He snarled as his fighting staff extended to its full form. "ARGH!"

The two then engaged each other in combat. Fighting one of the robots as a team was difficult, so of course Robin knew he'd be in for a real fight. These robots were built to adapt and use their surroundings to their advantage, and the only way Robin knew he could take it out was to force it to adapt so many times that it would eventually become so stretched out and would then be vulnerable.

[ **scene break** ]

Meanwhile, down in the basement of the tower, Raven was busy occupying her own changeling android. She zipped past columns of steel trying to lose the robot, but its ability to travel along the material made fleeing almost impossible. With a swift jab at her leg the android sent Raven tumbling to the ground with a thud.

"Alright, you asked for it." She snarled as she looked around trying to find the android. "I may not be able to see you like this, but I can always see in the dark." She closed her eyes and began to focus on her surroundings, particularly the android that was well hidden... and there it was! Just as it lunged for her, her telepathic powers caught it mid-air. "Taking you apart should be easy enough now." She glared under the hood of her cape. "Azarath, metrion, zinthos!" Her powers encased the android in dark energy and, with a flick of her wrist, tore it apart at the limbs. "Thought so." She then finished the job by opening a portal and tossing the remains through it.

[ **scene break** ]

Cyborg and Starfire had met up while battling their own android. Starfire's monster grabbed her by her long, red hair, spinning her around until it released her. She was sent flying into Cyborg, throwing both of them to the ground. They lay there, motionless as the androids advanced on them. Just as they were about to attack, the two Titans jumped up and blasted them back. They looked relived as they now watched the motionless androids on the ground, but that feeling didn't last long.

"I must admit," Starfire noted after seeing the android rise back up, "they are most determined to defeat us."

"That, or just really stubborn!" Cyborg suggested. "ARGH!" He shouted as he rushed his android and stuck his hand into the robot. "Booyah." He smirked as his sonic cannon blew it to pieces. Starfire followed and did the same, but instead of blowing it to smithereens, she tore it apart with her bare hands. "That works," Cyborg nodded.

"AHHH!" Beast Boy ran past the two with his android in-step.

Cyborg had prepared his sonic cannon, but just a few meters away a dark, bird-like claw grabbed it from the ground and crushed it to pieces. Raven then appeared from the ground surrounded by its remains.

"Guess that works too,"

"Dude, who are these guys?"

"They're not guys, they're things." Raven corrected.

"Whatever! The point is that they're attacking us for no reason."

"Is it not a plot created by the Brotherhood of Evil?"

"It couldn't be. They should all still be frozen in that underground hideout in Paris. Every last one of 'em." Cyborg pointed out.

"Whoever it is has a lot of connections to pull off an attack like this with robots like these." Raven observed.

"Has anyone seen Robin?" Starfire asked.

Just then the wall to their right burst open as another android crashed through. There were numerous puncture wounds across its body and one directly between its dimmed eyes, the shot that likely ended it. Robin emerged from the smoke and rubble.

"Robin!" Starfire gleamed. "I trust that you are all right?"

"I'm fine. Can't say the same for the weight room though,"

[ **scene break** ]

"Is it just me or was fighting these robots easier this time around?" Cyborg asked.

"Perhaps they were not as resilient as their predecessor?"

"Either way, do we have any idea who would send these things to attack us?" Raven asked as they all walked back into the living room.

"None." Starfire said. "All of the villains we have done battle with are frozen or in jail."

"It has to be someone new," Cyborg started. "The video they sent us said we didn't know them, not yet anyway."

"But why now? Why did they not engage us in battle with the Brotherhood?"

"Because now they have our full attention." Robin added. "Whoever it is has striking similarities to Slade. My guess is that they want us to only focus on them, just like he would've wanted."

"So whoever it is, is a copycat Slade?" Beast Boy concluded.

"Not necessarily," Robin said, "but they're using similar methods as a likely way to make sure we stay invested." He held up the mask from the android that he fought. "I'll start analysis on it right away." He said as he began to walk away.

"Robin?" Starfire called to him. "Won't you celebrate with us the defeating of the evil brotherhood and of the androids?"

"No. I need to figure out who it was that sent these things. We need to better prepare ourselves for whatever might come next." He asserted as he walked away.

"Here we go again," Raven muttered.

"Where are we going?" Starfire asked without looking away from Robin's direction.

"She means that this little thing is gonna become Robin's new obsession, just like it was when it was actually Slade behind the voice." Cyborg added.

"We probably shouldn't worry about it. He'll come out of it soon enough." Raven reassured. "Robin deals with these things better on his own."

"Will we be celebrating our victories?" Starfire turned to her other teammates.

"I think we should. We definitely deserve it." Raven said with a less-than-enthusiastic tone.

"Booyah!" Cyborg boomed. "You know what that means, BB!" Silence. "Beast Boy?" They all turned to see him staring out over the harbor just as the sun began to set. "Yo, Beast Boy, you OK?"

"Friend," Starfire floated to him, "will you not celebrate with us?"

"I'm not in the mood," he said as he hung his head.

They all seemed taken aback by this.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and just say that you're not OK." Raven noted.

"When we were out there fighting that robot in the city, I thought I saw..." the words alone seemed as though they were physically painful for him to say.

"Saw who?" Starfire encouraged.

"Terra,"

The others fell silent for a while. "Beast Boy," Raven started, "that isn't-"

"Possible? I know." He finished. "But when I went to see her statue it was gone."

"That's impossible," Cyborg looked to Raven. "There was no way to reverse the effects, not yet anyway."

"I know," he looked back out over the glistening water that danced under a sky littered with pinks and oranges. "She didn't even know who I was; she didn't remember me."

"Perhaps this Terra was not our Terra," Starfire said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It doesn't matter anymore," he shrugged it off, "she's moving on and we should too."

"Trying to forget that someone ever existed isn't moving on," Raven said.

"It's a start,"

[ **scene break** ]

' _I am your worst nightmare come to life_ '.

The words lingered in the air around him like a swarm of houseflies buzzing. He racked his brain of which villain could possibly be behind the attack. The fact that there were so many trails leading to a Slade attack made Robin think more about it. Whoever this person was then they were out for the Titans, and with the assault against them today, it made him even more apprehensive. He wanted to make sure that everyone was prepared for whatever was going to be thrown at them.


	2. Phantoms

A storm rolled in over the sleeping city. Rain pelted the ground as thunder and lightning rumbled in the sky above. Roaring waves crashed against the island that nestled in the Jump City bay.

After a long day of fighting crime, saving cats in trees, and surviving Beast Boy's never-ending 'jokes', the Titans now rested for the night, sound asleep. However, as Beast Boy slept, his mind drifted into a nightmare of sorts. He tossed and turned in his bed, moaning as if he was trying to wake himself up.

"Rita," he muttered as his nightmare continued.

His eyes sprung open as his body jumped up right. He looked around and found himself lying in the middle of a road. He was no longer in his bed or his room, or even the tower for that matter. It was still nighttime, but instead of a ceiling overhead he saw a darkened sky lit up with gleaming stars and a bright, round moon.

"Where am I?" He thought out loud.

He appeared to be in a city as he was surrounded by tall buildings and parked cars in the streets, but he could hardly tell what city it was. Just then, as he got to his feet, a loud explosion came from behind him. He turned only to see a large mushroom cloud rising with fire burning all around it. The scene switched. Now he saw dozens of people running and screaming in all directions.

"What's going on?" He shouted, but no one answered.

"Rita!" An all too familiar voice shouted a few yards away. "Get those people to the ship, we'll have to transport them ourselves!" It had been a couple of years, but Beast Boy would always be able to identify the voice of his former team leader; Mento of the Doom Patrol.

"Steve, there won't be enough room," Rita objected.

"We have to try! We have to do whatever we can!" He ordered. "Negative Man, we need to evacuate that building before it collapses! Scout it out!"

"I'm on it," Negative Man said as his dark, astral body left his flesh and entered the crumbling structure.

"Robotman," Mento started.

"I'm on it!" He raced over to building whose supporting beam had snapped out and threatened to give way.

Mento began surveying the wreckage for an alternate escape plan. As he did, a woman in a red jumpsuit and thigh-high boots appeared from the ground behind him. Beast Boy had no chance to see her face, but he knew that ensemble from a mile away. What puzzled him was how she was outside of its frozen state from the underground base in Paris.

"Mento," her Russian accent was just as thick, "how did I know you'd be the v'one sitting back while the others did all the vork?" A smile crept along her red lipstick-covered lips.

He spun on his heels. "Madame Rouge?" He was petrified with disbelief. "This... this is impossible! The Titans defeated you and the Brotherhood! How did you possibly manage to escape?" It was as if he were seeing a ghost.

"That is for me to know, and for you to never find out!" She shouted as she then engaged Mento in combat.

He had the upper hand in the fight, landing jab and punch each time. She knew she needed some kind of leverage to weaken him. Her eyes then saw that a nearby pillar was on the verge of collapse: perfect. She jumped into the air and did a round-house kick that would suffice in bringing the pillar down.

"Some other time, perhaps," she sneered as she ran away.

Beast Boy could feel himself screaming for Mento to use his powers, but nothing was coming out. He tried to morph and help, but nothing was working. All he could really do was sit there and watch as a building began to fall onto his old mentor. Suddenly, a giant shadow overcame Mento seconds before he was crushed. He turned to see Elasti-Girl catching the falling debris.

"Go, Steve!" Elasti-Girl struggled under the pressure.

"Nice work!" He beamed as he then ran after Madame Rouge.

The scene changed once more. Beast Boy now found himself watching both Madame Rouge and Mento in a stand-off.

"You never fail to surprise me, Mento," Madame Rouge smiled.

"And I still have a few more tricks up my sleeve," he tapped his helmet. "Now tell me what you're doing here!"

"I tink not," she smirked as she lunged at Mento, but was then frozen in mid-air.

"I warned you," he walked over to her. "Are you gonna tell me or am I gonna have to force it out of you?"

She struggled to get free. "It vould seem that you're out of time," she spoke through unmoving lips.

"Time for what?"

The ground shook as an explosion could be seen and heard from off in the distance. Madame Rouge snarled in her throat as Mento looked in horror in the direction of the city. The scene then reverted back to where the Doom Patrol was, but no one was there, or at least Beast Boy was unable to see anyone through the smoke. Once it cleared, however, he had begun to wish it never did. There, lying motionless at his feet, was Elasti-Girl.

"Rita?" Beast Boy whispered as he bent down to take her hand, but all he could do was close his eyes and look away.

When he reopened them he found himself staring at a ceiling. There were no stars, no smoke, and no Doom Patrol. He could feel a tear rolling down the side of his face as he sat up in bed. His head was aching, but it hardly seemed to be the worst pain he was experiencing.

"Rita..."

[ **scene break** ]

The morning was bright and the sky was clear. The ground was still soaked from last night's storm, but the waters had calmed down by now. Beast Boy yawned and stretched as he walked into the living room.

"Good morning my fellow crime fighters, what's for-" he stopped once he noticed that there was no one around. "Hello?" He called out with no answer. "Raven? Robin?" Nothing. "Cyborg? Star?" Zilch. "Where is everyone?"

In a sudden surge of darkness he was brought to his knees. He looked around as the darkness swirled around him. In one direction, far off in the distance, he could see Rita Farr, Elasti-Girl of the Doom Patrol. Her eyes were filled with hurt as she then reached out for him. She was on the ground as rocks then started to fall around her, but she still reached out to her former teammate.

"Rita!" He lunged for her, but within an instant that it seemed as though a rock would crush her, the darkness faded and he found himself back in the living room of Titans Tower.

"Happy Birthday!" The other four titans belted out in unison.

Beast Boy could remember the nightmare so vividly that it seemed as though if he reached a little further he would have been able to save his teammate. He looked around and saw that the space was now decorated for a birthday party, his birthday party.

"Oh! Happy day of your birth, Beast Boy!" Starfire bum-rushed him with an alien-strength induced hug. "What a joyous occasion to celebrate with us, your friends!" The words stung as he remembered the people who first stood in their place.

"Whoa," he finally exhaled after taking in a deep breath, "you guys remembered my birthday?" He almost sounded amazed.

"Of course we did," Cyborg walked over to him and tussled his hair.

"It's not like we could forget after having you parade around here for the past few weeks to remind us." Raven added dryly.

"Happy birthday, Beast Boy," Robin chimed in.

"Dudes, this is awesome!" He exclaimed as he walked over to a table lined with some of his favorite breakfast foods like soy waffles, soy milk, tofu sausage and bacon, and orange juice along with a cake that said 'Happy Birthday Beast Boy'.

"I hope all of the foods are meatless and to your liking." Starfire said. "It took some time to determine what kind of meat to get for someone who does not eat meat."

"We all even pitched in to-" Cyborg started, but was interrupted by the blaring sound of the trouble alarm.

"We'll have to finish this when we get back," Robin instructed. "Titans, go!"

[ **scene break** ]

Smoke filled the sky as the sirens appeared to be coming from the Bank of Pérez. Someone was clearly trying their hand at robbing it, but this should be a minuscule issue for the team. It was probably another one of Dr. Light's elaborate, but no good plans to make some quick cash.

"Can you tell who it is?" Raven asked from the sky.

"Nothing yet," Starfire answered.

"I can't get a clear visual either," Cyborg reported back.

"Stay on alert," Robin ordered.

They all met up just outside of the bank. The front window had been shattered by more than one smoke bomb, which would explain the large amounts of smoke without a source of fire.

"I cannot tell who is in there," Starfire concluded.

"I should be able to get a read on how many there are," Cyborg began pressing buttons along his arm.

"How many?" Robin asked.

"I'm only getting a read on," he paused as he scanned the bank through the smoke.

In the blink of an eye a cinderblock came barreling out and smashed into Cyborg's chest, sending him flying back.

"V'one," a woman in a red jumpsuit and black thigh-high boots stepped through the shattered window. Her accent was thick and heavy in Russian.

"No!" Starfire exclaimed in disbelief.

"It can't be!" Raven was just as shocked.

"Impossible!" Robin was more angry than shocked.

"Madame Rouge!" Beast Boy growled.

"So, you do remember," the words came out with a twinge of resentment. "Good. Very good."

"How did you escape?" Robin demanded.

"Who said anything about escape?" She sneered. "Rouge and the rest of the Brotherhood are still very much frozen in Paris," her accent changed to one that was not as thick as compared to the real Madame Rouge's. "I needed to see that fear in your eyes," she continued. "I needed your undivided attention, and now that I have it, you can call me Gemini," her body then contorted back to a much younger body and face, as well as a blue jumpsuit with knee-high boots.

"Gemini?" Robin questioned. "I've never heard of you,"

"I wouldn't doubt it," she danced around the rubble, "I'm kind of new in town."

"Who are you?" He asked as Starfire and Raven tended to Cyborg.

"You can say I'm a friend... or not," she giggled.

"Some friend," Beast Boy said with both anger and curiosity.

"I didn't say I was your friend," she smiled. "Beast Boy, right? " Gemini said his name as if she finally remembered that she knew him from somewhere. "I've been told great things about you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yes,"

"What kind of 'great things'?"

"There was so much to remember, but Rita did seem to just go on and on about you, really."

Beast Boy's eyes widened in fury. "Where's Rita? What have you done to her?" His tone grew angrier in an instant.

"I'd tell you if I knew, but I don't," she smiled.

"Tell me, now!"

"Or what?"

Beast Boy morphed into a green gorilla as he charged for the girl.

"Beast Boy! Wait!" Robin tried to stop him, but to no avail.

"Come get me," she snickered under her breath.

She stood there as he got closer and closer until he was mere feet away. She then leapt into the air performing a summersault that landed her foot across his face, causing him to go flying off to the side and landing on a mailbox. She was obviously not to be underestimated, as it was clear that, even though she had a small frame, she packed a punch.

"That all you got?" She taunted.

A flash of heat suddenly crossed her back sending her flying to the ground with a great deal of force. She then looked up to see a speeding Starfire flying straight for her. Her hands morphed into a spiked club that she then used to swat the Tamaranean princess to the side.

"Is that all?" She stood over a fallen Starfire as Cyborg then blasted her away with his sonic canon.

"Not even close!"

"Impressive," she admitted. "My turn," her eyes glared as she then morphed her hands into a gigantic whip, and returned with enough force to send Cyborg crashing into a nearby building.

She smiled as the ground beneath her then disappeared and she fell through one of Raven's portals.

"Where'd you send her?" Robin asked.

"Nowhere," Raven said, "but the experience should be enough to knock her out." The portal then reopened a few feet above them, and Gemini fell to the ground with a thud, seemingly unconscious.

"Did it work?" Robin asked as he and Raven walked over to the girl, who appeared to be no older than them.

Her short, black hair was splashed across her face and her eyes were closed. In a quick surprise attack, Gemini jumped to her feet and grabbed Raven by the hood and threw her against Robin, knocking their heads together and sending them crashing to the ground. She picked up a cinderblock and prepared to finish them off.

"What a shame," she spoke aloud, "I was really looking forward to a challenge." She just about let the block of cement fall onto Robin and Raven, but a green ram smashed into her back and sent her flying off back into the bank.

"Then you just found one," Beast Boy morphed back to his human self.

"You'll pay for that," she snarled as she then charged him.

However, before she could even reach him a barrage of green starbolts intercepted her and flung her body to the ground. She got up just in time for Cyborg to blast her back into the wall of a nearby grocery store.

She stammered to her feet to see all the Titans now facing her, "How cute," she said with disdain, "the band of piggy's all ready to take out the big bad wolf!"

"This is the last time I'm gonna ask," Beast Boy said sternly, "what did you do to Elasti-Girl?"

Gemini stood up, "I don't know what you're talking about," she struggled to say.

"That's it!" He charged her.

"Beast Boy!" Robin called after him once more, but he couldn't be stopped.

Gemini threw smokescreen bombs at the remaining Titans as she and Beast Boy disappeared behind the veil of gray smoke. Beast Boy only had one intention and one thought: to find out what this Gemini girl knew about the Doom Patrol. He could see her extend her legs like rubber bands and take giant steps at a time.

Her shifting abilities were just like those of Madame Rouge's, but it seemed as though she was younger and less-experienced with them. Then in a swift instant she had disappeared behind a cluster of trees.

"No!" Beast Boy shouted as he fell to his knees in his human form. "Come back!" He shouted in anger.

"It always amazes me," Gemini said from behind him, "how weak you 'heroes' can be." He could hear a smirk in her voice.

His fist clenched around a nearby rock as anger began to flood over him. His movement was quick as he jumped to his feet and flung the rock at the girl, but she was much quicker and spun on her heels in a total 360; the rock missing her face by mere inches.

"You'll have to do better than-" she smirked as she turned, but she soon found herself pinned against a tree with her neck under the grip of a gorilla. The beast snarled at her and baring its teeth. "Let me go!"

"Tell me!" Beast Boy reverted back to human while his hands remained as that of gorillas.

"Nothing!" She shouted.

"Have it your way," his grip tightened.

"No!" She struggled. "Nothing's wrong with the Doom Patrol!"

"Then why come here?" She didn't answer. "Answer me!"

"Revenge," she spat out the word.

"Revenge for what?"

At this point Beast Boy was distracted enough for Gemini to use her limbs and grab a nearby rock and smash it into the side of Beast Boy's face. He fell over as his grip released her and she, too, fell to the ground coughing.

"Beast Boy?" Gemini could hear the other Titans closing in.

"Some other time, perhaps," she sneered as she ran away.

Beast Boy heard this and immediately thought of the same thing Madame Rouge said in his nightmare from the night prior.

"Beast Boy?" Raven called out as she found him lying on the ground. "Raven to Titans, I just found Beast Boy." She said into her communicator. "Beast Boy? Are you all right?"

He let out a groan. "How did I not see that one coming?"

"I'm sure Cyborg is asking himself the same thing," she mused as she placed a healing hand over his throbbing head.

"Some birthday, huh?"

"It could've been worse,"

"How?"

"Well, you could've been the portal to the end of the world."

"Guess so," he sighed as he turned back to Raven. "You didn't happen to grab any of those soy waffles, did you?"

"I can't say that I did."

He turned back to the sky. "Yeah, that's what I was afraid of,"

 


	3. Clarity

"Bahahahaha! And now for my final trick, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to make all of your belongings disappear!" Mumbo Jumbo laughed hysterically as he took off his hat and began to wave his wand in the air. "Alakazam!"

Just then a whirling tornado appeared from out of his hat and began sucking in valuables of all kinds, but as people tried to flee the tornado just pulled them right back towards him. Mumbo was laughing so hard that he hadn't noticed the dark energy that took hold of his wand.

"Wha-?" He exclaimed as the wand was lifted from him. "What kind of magic is this?"

"Real magic," Raven hissed from behind along with the other Titans.

"Well look who it is! My old friends, the Teen Titans! I've almost missed you!"

"Enough games, Mumbo!" Robin shouted. "Who unfroze you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!" He cackled.

"Tell me!" Robin advanced.

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to,"

"Enough of this! Titans, go!"

Mumbo quickly grabbed his wand from its drift as he tried escaping into the whizzing tornado, but Starfire was even quicker as she intercepted him.

"Why thank you, my dear," he gushed. "Here's a flower to show my gratitude!" A giant, red boxing glove shot out from the flower and punched her right in the face, causing her to drop Mumbo and fall to the ground.

"You're mine now, blue man!" Cyborg shouted as he fired at the magician with his sonic cannon.

"Not today!" Mumbo quipped. "Hocus pocus!" He shouted just as the beam was inches away. It soon changed direction and instead blasted Robin right in the chest.

"Well that wasn't supposed to happen," Cyborg quipped as Robin was blasted away.

"You really should learn to play nicely," Mumbo scolded Cyborg as he appeared from behind him.

"What the-" Mumbo then blasted Cyborg away with a beam of his own from his wand. He then proceeded to laugh even more hysterically.

"Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!" Raven exclaimed as she sent two mailboxes hurtling towards Mumbo.

"Abracadabra!" He shouted turning the mailboxes into flocks of pigeons. "You see how easy that was?" He asked rhetorically as he shot another beam at her, however, she was quick to deflect its path.

"Ow!" Beast Boy exclaimed as the beam shocked his charging rhinoceros. "Watch where you're throwing that next time!" He shouted at Raven as he rubbed his smoking behind.

"Hahahahaha!" Mumbo laughed, giving Starfire just enough time to swoop in and grab his wand. "Hey!"

"Enough of your sorcery!" She shouted as she snapped the wand into two pieces.

"No!" Mumbo cried as everything that had been involved with his magic began to revert back to normal.

"Good work, Star." Robin said as he apprehended the no-longer-blue Mumbo. "I'll see to it that you stay locked away this time." Robin sneered.

[ **scene break** ]

"This is impossible." Cyborg sounded perplexed as they all walked into the living room of Titans Tower. "I don't see how he could've escaped."

"Probably the same way he's managed to escape from jail in the past." Raven noted.

"So why didn't he free anyone else?"

"We don't know that he didn't," Robin added.

"Can we talk about something important?" Beast Boy interrupted. "Like how Raven here practically zapped me with Mumbo's magic beam of magic!" He glared at her.

"Uh, sorry?" She shrugged.

"Come friends! Let us no longer dwell on the badness of Mumbo or how he managed to escape. We have defeated him, and thus ended his freedom." Starfire chimed in as she twirled around and to the couch. "I suggest we all convene to the most comfy of couches and indulge in the movie night."

Silence.

"I'm going to bed." Raven said unenthusiastically as she turned and walked away.

Cyborg then outstretched his arms and gave a yawn. "I'm with Rae on this one. I'm too tired for a movie, maybe some other time, Star." He concluded as he too walked to his room.

"Sorry Star, but I need to figure out how Mumbo escaped and who, if anyone, else made it out." Robin said as he turned and left the room with only her and Beast Boy.

She looked down to see that he transformed into a small green puppy with wide eyes and a wagging tail. He let his tongue hang out as he began to bark.

"With everyone else occupied, perhaps we should reschedule the movie night." She sighed in defeat as she flew out of the living room leaving a now whimpering green puppy in her wake.

"I guess it's just you and me tonight, beautiful." He said as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out a tofu sub. Just as he was about to bite into it the nearest censor reported that someone was at the door of the tower. "That better not be you, Mumbo!" He shouted as he gave the code to open the door. As soon as it opened he could see that it was not Mumbo. He dropped the sub to the floor as his mouth fell open as well and his eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Terra?"

"Hi," the girl muttered shyly.

"Terra!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he jumped into her arms, morphing into the same puppy and giving off whimpers of joy.

"I really missed you too, Beast Boy," she giggled as she rubbed his back and petted his head.

[ **scene break** ]

"So how did you remember everything?" He asked her as they sat at the edge of the island, looking over the bay in the very spot they sat in a while back.

"I don't really know, but something about you seemed so familiar, and every time you called me by that name-"

"Terra,"

"Yeah. Every time you called me that it just made me start to think, and that's when I had the flashbacks. I don't remember them all, but I do know that I did some really bad things, and I'm really sorry for them." She put her head on her arms as she pulled her knees to her chest.

"Terra, you don't need to feel sorry anymore," he said as he put his hand on her knee.

She looked at his hand as if she were remembering him more and more, and remembering how they felt about one another.

"But I do," she looked away once more. "I turned my back on you, on everyone. You guys were the only friends I ever had, and now I have no one." She began to cry.

"Terra," he moved closer to her, but she was quicker as she then embraced him while still sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, Beast Boy. I didn't mean to do it! I didn't mean any of it! I wish I could go back in time and fix everything, but I can't!" She cried.

He then lifted her head by the chin and stared into her eyes, "It's OK, Terra. It's OK."

"How can you say that? Everyone must resent me."

"No," he said, "they're all proud of you. They knew you and they knew what you were going through. When you were able to overcome everything and make your own decision, that's when they forgave you."

"I wish it never happened." She said as she began to calm down from her crying fit. "I wish I never met or listened to anything Ravager said! That snake!"

"Who?"

"Who what?" She sniffled.

"You said Ravager. Who's that?"

"Ravager? No, I said Slade."

"But I heard-"

"I said that I wished I had never met or listened to Slade."

He thought for a moment. "Well the point is that you're back now, and that's all that matters to me." He smiled as the two embraced each other once more.

[ **scene break** ]

"Friends!" Starfire greeted Raven and Robin from the kitchen area as they walked into the living room. "I have prepared a traditional Tamaranean breakfast feast in our victory against the wicked Mumbo!"

"Why can't we ever just have tea?" Raven asked glumly.

"Thanks, Star, but I-" Robin started, but was interrupted as she shoved a spoonful of, what looked like, banana pudding into his mouth. At first he appeared to react out of disgust, but he soon calmed down only to realize that the strange substance was not as bad as he thought. "Wow, Starfire, it tastes pretty good!"

"Will you try some?" She gleamed as she hovered over to Raven.

She examined to yellow goop for a quick second, but gave in. "Why not?" She agreed as she shoveled in some into her mouth. She thought as she let it sit in her mouth, then her expression changed from the blank stare she usually has to a rare grin. "That's actually pretty good."

"Mm-mm-mm! What smells delicious?" Cyborg happily asked as he walked into the room taking in the aroma from Starfire's food.

"Have some!" She gave him a bowl full of the food.

"Not too bad!" He smiled as he began to devour what was left in the bowl.

"I'm so very glad that you all are enjoying it! I'm not accustomed to such happiness from you all while eating meals from my home planet." She smiled, then looked around. "Has anyone seen Beast Boy?"

"Nope," Robin answered with a stuffed face.

"Not since last night," Raven agreed as she belched and continued to eat.

"He's probably still asleep." Cyborg said.

"Then I shall go wake him so that he may-" She stopped in her tracks as she turned around and saw Beast Boy standing in the doorway with Terra at his side.

The rest of the Titans turned at Starfire's sudden gasp and the breaking of the bowl which held the rest of her Tamaranean food. They, too, seemed just as shocked.

"Hey guys," Beast Boy greeted them nonchalantly. "I'm guessing you all remember-"

"TERRA!" They all shouted in unison and rushed their former teammate pushing Beast Boy to the side.

"My dear friend! I thought I would never ever see you again!" Starfire squeezed the girl with tears in her eyes.

"Nice... to see you, too... Starfire," she said through huffs of breath before being released.

"It's been a really long time, Terra. I'm glad to see you're OK." Robin added with a hand-to-her-shoulder gesture.

"But how?" Cyborg asked.

"I was telling Beast Boy that I don't really remember. It's like everything after the fight was just deleted somehow."

"The intensity must've caused you to blackout and forget everything." Raven noted.

Terra turned to Raven with caution and shame, as she knew that her actions against the Titans registered more with her. "Raven, I'm-"

"Don't," she held out her hand for Terra to stop. "You did what you did, and nobody can change that," Terra lowered her head in shame, "but that doesn't mean we can't try to work through things." Raven smiled.

Terra's face lit up with relief as tears swelled in her eyes. "I can't believe how kind you all are being." She admitted. "I know I've done bad things, but I'm here to try to fix as much as possible."

Just then the alarm for trouble went off.

"Perfect timing!" Beast Boy smiled.

[ **scene break** ]

The Titans arrived at the Bank of Pérez to see a girl with long braids and a short kimono putting money into a bag.

"It's over," Robin said as he and the other Titans blocked the entrance. "Now give up the money and we can-" Before he could finish talking one of her braids whipped around and hit Robin square in the face.

"Robin!" Starfire rushed to his aid.

The other Titans looked back to the girl as she turned around. She wore an elaborate cat-like mask over her face to conceal her identity.

"Cheshire?" Beast Boy asked aloud in confusion.

ZAP! The sound of a beam making contact with someone could be heard from behind them.

"Ugh!" Starfire grunted as she went flying back from behind the Titans. Cheshire whipped her braids so that they caught Starfire in mid-air and flung her against a wall towards the back of the bank.

"Starfire!" Cyborg called out.

"Let's make this a fair fight," a voice chuckled from behind the Titans.

They turned back around to see a robed man standing behind them with his hands on his head. His eyes were pure black with bright pink irises.

"Psimon!" Raven said angrily as she began to emit her powers, readying for a fight.

A small, black tornado then formed by the man and out stepped a young boy and girl who Cyborg immediately recognized from the H.I.V.E. Academy.

"Kyd Wykkyd and Angel? But how? How did you guys escape Paris?" He asked, but before anyone could say anything a black braid wrapped around Beast Boy and pulled him back.

"AHHH!" He screamed as Cheshire drug him towards her.

"Beast Boy!" Terra shouted, but before she could help Angel encased her in her wings and they both disappeared into the sky above.

"Terra!" Raven shouted, but was sent flying as Psimon hit her with one of his mind blasts.

Cyborg turned to Kyd Wykkyd. "Looks like it's just you and me," he said as Kyd Wykkyd shrugged his shoulders. "Well alright then," Cyborg said as he then shot a beam at him from his sonic cannon. There was no contact made, however, as Kyd Wykkyd turned back into a tornado and disappeared.

[ **scene break** ]

All she saw was darkness, but in an instant she saw light and below her she saw a city that was growing bigger with each passing second. Terra was falling from the sky. She used her powers to help catch her, but as a rock was getting closer a pair of giant angel wings crushed it. Terra looked above her and saw that Angel was coming in fast.

"Is that all you have in you, child?" Psimon taunted Raven as he deflected one of her dark energy shots.

"Not even close!" She gritted her teeth together. "Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!" She chanted as a beam of dark energy fired at the man, but it was matched as he fired his own mind blast back at her.

"Where are you, you little wanna be bat brat?" Cyborg mumbled as he walked around the bank with his cannon at the ready. Just then Kyd Wykkyd appeared from behind him and sucked him into his tornado as they both disappeared.

"Dude!" Beast Boy screamed as he ran while trying to dodge Cheshire's hair.

She jumped in front of him and lifted her hands to fight.

"So you wanna fist fight, huh?" Beast Boy smirked as he put up his hands as well and morphed them into gorilla fists. Her sleeves then fell and revealed sharpened claws along her knuckles. "Eep," he whimpered as she advanced on him. "Can't we talk about this?" He asked, but she sliced the air, just missing his stomach. "Guess not," he morphed into a cheetah and scratched her mask as he then turned to run, but she was quick as her hair caught him by the ankles and pinned him to the ground. "About the mask," he tried to laugh, "I don't suppose it's too late to say sorry?" She lifted her hands in the air, ready to strike. "I'll take that as a no," he said.

Just as she was about to slice him up a boulder flew from behind her and pushed her out of the way.

"Gotcha!" Cyborg exclaimed as he cornered Kyd Wykkyd, but a flying Cheshire took him out instead. "Aw man," he sighed in defeat.

"A little help?" Raven asked while trying to fend off Psimon's beam.

"I got this one," Cyborg said as he fired at him, but he was able to match Cyborg's sonic cannon as well.

With one hand fighting off Raven and the other dealing with Cyborg, Psimon was unaware of the pile of rocks headed for him. And with a direct shot to the head, Terra was able to bring him down.

"Thanks," Raven said with a tired expression.

"Don't mention it,"

"That was awesome!" Beast Boy cheered. "You beat all of them!"

"Great work, Terra." Robin congratulated her as he and Starfire walked to the group. "But none of this makes any sense. How are they all escaping?"

"Perhaps the Mumbo freed them in his own escape?" Starfire suggested as she rubbed her head.

"So then who freed Mumbo?" Raven asked.

"You don't think Ravager had something to do with it, do you?" Cyborg asked aloud.

"Who?" Beast Boy asked as he did when Terra said the same name.

"Slade," Cyborg repeated.

"You said 'Ravager',"

"We don't have time for games, Beast Boy. We need to figure out who's behind this and if anyone else escaped." Robin said with sheer determination in his voice.

[ **scene break** ]

Beast Boy lay in his room. Clothes and other junk were scattered around his bunk bed as he tossed and turned in his sleep. Images of Terra stopping the volcano and turning to stone flashed in his mind. Her betrayal and running away also came up, as well as Slade. His faced flashed into Beast Boy's mind, but it didn't fade out. It was just there staring at him.

As he tossed and turned Slade's face began to fuse with Terra's face. It was as if they were becoming one person, but it didn't stop there. Once Terra's face was one with Slade's, their fusion began to morph once more. His black eye turned gray and his mask revealed pale skin as well as pink lips. Platinum blonde hair fell at the shoulders, and at once Terra's face also vanished. Now there was a girl staring back at Beast Boy, but she still resembled Slade.

"Beast Boy," she began to whisper. "Beast Boy… Beast Boy… Beast Boy!" She shouted while waking him up in the process.

He jumped up in his bed with beads of sweat running down his forehead. His breathing was off place and he could feel a lump in his throat, as if his animal instincts were trying to tell him something was not right.

"Beast Boy?" Terra called from the other side of his bedroom door.

"What's up?" He asked while opening the door.

"Robin wanted me to check on you,"

"I'm fine, why?"

"Well you were almost chopped to pieces today, and when we got home you just came to your room and went to bed."

He thought for a minute. "I don't remember that at all… I must've been pretty tired if I didn't even-" He was interrupted by the sound of the alarm.

[ **scene break** ]

The city was in utter disarray. People were running around and screaming in every direction. Smoke and fire filled the once quiet night sky. It was clear what the problem was; off in the distance was a band of moving machines. It was a massive army, but there was no apparent leader. The machines and robots resembled makes of the ones Slade himself would use.

"I've been waiting for this," Robin sneered as he saw the robots. "It's Slade!"

"Are you sure? I'm not getting a read on his signature." Cyborg noted.

"It has to be. The robots, the designs, the tactics. It all screams his work."

"Robin, maybe we should call-" Raven started, but was interrupted as Robin raced into the heart of the army.

"Titans! Go!" He shouted.

They all glanced worriedly at one another, but soon followed Robin into battle.

"Aren't you coming?" Beast Boy turned as he noticed Terra wasn't following them.

"My powers... I can't," she hesitated.

"Are you kidding? You took out four high-powered villains today." He joked, but he saw that there was something bothering her. "It's OK, Terra. you'll be fine."

"Beast Boy, I-"

"Trust me," he said as he reached out for her hand.

She stared at it for a moment, trying to decide if it was poisonous or not, then she took his hand and the two followed the other Titans into battle.

The whole scene was an absolute blur. Green starbolts flying there. Dark energy emerging from here, and everything else that the Titans had in their arsenal was being thrown at the robots. Terra was hesitant to join the fray, but as the others went on taking out robots left and right, she watched them; she watched Beast Boy. She restrained herself, but as he found himself cornered by a group of robots, Terra knew she had no choice but to step in, using her powers to crush numerous robots as she maneuvered through the chaotic battlefield.

"You saved me twice in one day!" Beast Boy grinned. "And here I was thinking I was the hero!"

"Don't worry, you still are to me!" Terra smiled back.

Then, in an almost sudden turn of events, the robots just seemed to stop attacking.

"Keep fighting! We've got them now!" Robin demanded.

"Robin," Starfire called to him.

"Don't give up!" He growled.

"Uh, dude?" Beast Boy uttered with both fear & confusion in his voice.

Robin turned to see that nothing was happening; there was no more fighting, no more screaming. Nothing. Instead all of the others were turned around and looking at a dark and slender figure who was walking towards them. The silhouette became more clear with each step it took towards the Titans. As it grew nearer, Terra began to scream out in pain and hold her head as she fell to her knees.

"Terra!" Beast Boy and Starfire rushed to her aid.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Teen Titans." The figures words rolled out like silk, almost in the same manner as when Slade would talk.

"Who are you?" Robin asked the figure.

"I didn't come for an interview, I came for the girl."

"What do you want with her?"

"My motives are mine, and mine alone."

"You're not taking Terra." Beast Boy bulked up. Then it hit him, as he got a better view of the figure and realized that it was a woman, that this was the same woman who appeared in his dream.

"That's where you're wrong, Titan, because I am and I will. Terra is mine!" Just as she proclaimed that the robots re-engaged in battle mode with quick moves.

They flung Starfire and Raven to the side and began advancing on Terra. Cyborg was quick to intercept them as Robin went for the woman who brandished two very sleek katanas. Beast Boy turned his attention back to Terra.

"Terra! Terra, are you all right?" Beast Boy asked. "Terra, answer me."

"I have to go, Beast Boy. I have to go." She answered him as she looked into his eyes with tears in hers.

"No. No, you can't go with her, you don't know her." He pleaded.

"Look around, Beast Boy, you're all fighting a losing fight and it's because of me, again."

He looked into the chaos and saw Cyborg and Starfire and Raven all trying to hold off the army of advancing robots, but he also saw that she was right. There was no way they would be able to fend off the woman and her army. He knew Terra was right, but he refused to accept that.

"What do you want with her?" Robin demanded to know as his staff met the woman's swords.

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to," she smiled. He couldn't see her face clearly, but he saw that she wore an eye patch over her left eye. She bore a scary resemblance to Slade.

His distraction led to her gaining the advantage and swiftly knocking him to his feet.

"And they called you the Boy Wonder?" She scoffed as she held the blade of her sword to his neck.

"Hey!" Terra shouted from the center of the chaos. "You want me? Come and get me."

The woman looked back down at Robin. "Some other time, perhaps." She then advanced very quickly on Terra.

The ground suddenly started to move as the wind began to swirl. The woman stopped in her tracks as rocks began rising from the ground. Terra was beginning to lose control of her powers as the dirt around her kicked up and formed a dust-like tornado.

"We need to get out of here!" Robin shouted as he regrouped with the others.

"What about Terra? We can't leave her!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"We have no other choice! It's too dangerous!"

"No! We have to help her! I'm not leaving her! Not again!"

Robin looked at his team and then to Terra. He thought about it for only a second. He turned back to the others and they knew he hadn't changed his mind. "I'm sorry, Beast Boy, but we can't stay here." He said. "Let's go!" They all followed as Robin led the way to safety, all except Beast Boy who dodged rock after rock to get to Terra.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire called after him, but it was too late.

He managed to dodge and miss every rock and flying debris that began to circulate through the air. He'd almost gotten hit a few times by Terra's flying rocks, but his determination helped him to make it back to her.

"Beast Boy, you have to go," she smiled a heart wrenching smile. It was the smile used to hide fear. "You can't stop it."

"But I-" she leaned down and kissed him as she then began to drift higher into the tornado.

"Terra…" he held onto her hand.

"You have to let me go, Beast Boy. It's time to let go." She said as she drifted into the dirt-filled sky.

A giant boulder came crashing down in front of the woman, catching her by her long, platinum hair. In one last effort she flung a sai at the still-mesmerized Beast Boy, but a cloak of dark energy encased him before it could make contact and he vanished.

[ **scene break** ]

He opened his eyes to find himself staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He looked around, but saw no sign of Terra. He sat up in his bed and after a few moments of gathering himself, he went down to the kitchen. Raven was sitting at the table drinking a hot cup of tea. He sat at the chair parallel to her with a deep sigh.

"Had the dream again?" She asked while peering over her book.

"Yeah,"

Silence.

"Was it Cyborg or Starfire who saved you this time?"

He looked up at her. "Actually, it was you."

 


	4. The Good Girl

"Let's see what we got here," A man chuckled as he opened the sack full of money.

A few blocks away from the building he was hiding out in, he could hear sirens wailing as police rushed to the bank the man just robbed. He laughed as he peeked out one of the windows, watching the police search for him with no such luck.

"I wouldn't get too cozy with that," a voice said from the shadows.

"W-who's there?" The man demanded as he stood up, picking up a nearby baseball bat.

"I wouldn't use that if I were you," the voice said again.

"I'm warning you!" The man shouted as he readied his weapon. Just then, from out of the darkened corner at the other end of the room, Cyborg emerged.

With a well-aimed shot from his sonic cannon Cyborg disarmed the man as he hen advanced on him. The robber fell back while holding his wrist and began scooting away.

"Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way," Cyborg smirked. The man picked up a nearby pipe and got to his feet. "Hard way it is," he said as his right arm began to light up.

"And do you remember how he looked?" A police officer asked a woman outside of the bank.

BAM! An explosion erupted from the building blocks away from the bank. Cyborg emerged unscathed with the crook apprehended and the bag of stolen money. A smile formed across his face as people began cheering for him. He cracked his neck and went on his way down the street.

He had a tune in his whistle, but it stopped when he heard it. It was faint, almost like a whisper, but it was still loud enough for him to hear. "Freak". The word hit him like a blast from his own cannon.

He could feel the sting, and when he stopped to fully register it he had noticed that the cheering had stopped, but the stares did not. After a few more minutes of walking, Cyborg found himself sitting on a park bench. He looked up into the sky with a long sigh. He watched as one bird and then another flew by almost in sync with a few clouds that drifted through the air at their own leisure. He could feel the glare of a nearby mother burning through his mechanics.

"It'll last longer if you just took a picture," he said without taking his eye off the clouds. The woman stood up in a huff and walked away with her son in-step behind her.

He then closed his eye, but it didn't stay closed for long. He could feel the stare of another bystander.

"You want an autograph or something?" He snapped as he turned to a girl who stood a few feet away, staring.

She smiled. "Mind if I sit?" She asked while motioning to the empty space on the bench.

"Knock yourself out," he sighed as he gave the girl a once over.

"Nice day, huh?" She asked while taking her seat.

He shrugged.

"You look like you got something on your mind," she noted.

Another shrug.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Just asking,"

She kind of reminded him of Bumblebee, but instead of two little puffs on her head she had a full head of dark brown curls that reached her shoulders. She wore a rolled up long sleeve and some jeans with a bandana in her hair.

He sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just… how would you feel if all you did was try to make peoples' life safer and happier, but all they do is turn around and call you-" he paused. "Forget it."

"Call you what?" She pressed.

"Freak." The word lingered in the air between them.

She was silent for a moment. "Do these 'people' ask you to make their life safer and happier?"

"No, but that's not the point."

"It might be," she said. "I mean just because you help someone push their broken down car off the road, especially if they didn't ask, doesn't mean they owe you anything."

"But I'm a hero, it's my job." He said. "I'm not complaining about the safer and happier part, it's the stares and the names that through me off. It's not like I'm so different from them after all." He looked down at his hands. "But then again, maybe I am."

"So don't let it get to you,"

"Easy for you to say," he scoffed, "you don't look like your body is half robot."

"Looks can be deceiving." She smiled. "Being different doesn't mean everyone's gonna love you and life's gonna be easy. It just means that you were given this opportunity because you have something that not everyone else has,"

"And what's that?"

"The strength to keep on going when the going gets tough," she said. "And speaking of going I think I should be on my way, too." She said as she stood up and began walking away.

"Wait," he called after her, "I didn't get your name."

"That's because I didn't give it," she said as she waved right before disappearing around a row of rose bushes.

[ **scene break** ]

"Dude!" Beast Boy shouted as Cyborg walked through the door. "Where have you been? Robin sent you on that grab-and-go mission almost an hour ago!"

"What does it matter? I took care of it, alright!" He shouted. Beast Boy was shocked as he didn't mean to send Cyborg over the edge.

"Dude, you all right?"

"You wouldn't understand." He shrugged it off.

Raven had been sitting at the table and witnessed the whole thing. She kind of scoffed at Cyborg's last remark and he noticed.

"What's up with you?" He snapped at Raven.

She peered over at him from her book, almost as if he was crazy.

"Oh no, don't you give me that look." He stomped towards her and slammed his hands on the table at the opposite end. "If you have something to say then I think you should say it."

An uninterested Raven looked at him for a little while longer then went back to her book.

"I'm talking to you," he reached over and put the book down.

"And I heard you."

"So then why didn't you answer me?"

"And say what?"

"What's on your mind,"

She glared at him. "You really wanna know?"

"I think that's why I asked you to tell me."

"Fine. I think it's funny how you told Beast Boy how he wouldn't understand what's wrong with you even though he's in the same boat as you."

This took him by surprise a little. "What are you talking about?"

"We're all different, Cyborg. We all go through it, so we understand what you're going through."

He turned away. "We may all be different, but none of you are like me."

"How?"

"You guys are fully human, that's how. You don't need to recharge or look like a walking mailbox. You guys don't look as different as I am, and everyone sees that. I'm the robot man or the tin man, while you guys can almost pass for regular humans."

"Almost," she repeated.

"I just wish there was someone really like me who I could connect with," he said as he lowered his head and walked away.

"Sounds like he had a rough day," Beast Boy said as he walked over to Raven.

She looked at him with agitation and then punched him in the arm.

"Ow!"

"You see what happens when you yell at people?"

[ **scene break** ]

As Cyborg walked into his room he picked up a picture frame that sat on a nearby shelf. It was a picture of him when he was much younger. He was sitting on a suede carpet as he smiled for the camera. No nuts or bolts could be seen anywhere on him. He then looked up and saw his reflection in a mirror.

"Battery level: critical. Recharge required." A computer's voice on his arm notified him.

With a sigh he walked over to his surgical table-like bed and flopped down. He pressed a button that then released the charging cable. He plugged the cable into his chest as he then lay down and closed his eye. It seemed like seconds had gone by, but when he looked at the clock it had been almost three hours. The alarm alerting the team to trouble had gone off and woke him up. He wasn't fully charged, but he would make do with what he had.

"What's going on?" He asked as he ran into the living room where the others waited.

"Don't know, but we're gonna find out. An alarm down at the museum has been activated." Robin informed them. "Titans, go!"

[ **scene break** ]

The night was quiet and it appeared as if the silent alarm had been tripped because upon arrival the team could not spot anything out of the ordinary.

"I do not understand," Starfire said aloud, "how can such a joyous place seem so not?" She asked as she then bumped into the skeletal mouth of a T-Rex.

"There!" Robin shouted as the silhouette of a person ran down the other end of the museum.

The figure had shot a repel rope to the ceiling, but before it could get away Robin used one of his Birdarangs to cut the rope. The figure fell to the ground and saw that the team had it surrounded.

"Alright," Robin started, "we don't want any trouble." He said as he held onto his staff. The others seemed prepared to engage in battle just in case.

In a swift motion the figure threw flash bombs at Starfire and Raven, blinding them. It then grabbed Beast Boy, who was moving to help the girls, by the collar and flung him into Robin. It turned as it began to make a dash for another exit.

"I don't think so," Cyborg smirked as he took aim at the figure with his sonic cannon.

"I don't think so," the figure muffled back and pointed a type of mechanical weapon similar to Cyborg's sonic cannon.

"Nice toy, but this is the real deal," he said as he fired at the figure.

With a smirk of its own the figure fired its weapon and was able to cause a collision between the two beams. With a flash as bright as could be Cyborg looked away to protect his human eye, but once he looked back he saw that the figure was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did-" he started, but was stopped as the figure jumped down directly in front of Cyborg from above and knocked him off his feet.

With that, the Titans had been subdued and the figure was able to get away with the stolen goods.

"Who was that guy?" Beast Boy asked as Robin helped him to his feet.

"I could not tell," Starfire said as she rubbed her eyes and blinked profusely. "I fear that if we were to battle him again I still could not tell."

"What makes you so sure it was a guy anyway?" Raven asked.

"Hello! Did you see those moves? Clearly male." Beast Boy said as a matter of fact.

"Clearly," she said dryly.

"And did you see the weapon he used?" Cyborg asked as he walked over to the others. "I can't be sure, but from what I just saw it looked a lot like something I would use."

"And?" Beast Boy asked.

"And they don't just sell technology like that at the corner store."

"Whoever it was we have to figure out what they stole. Maybe we can get something from that."

"So if those were 'male moves'," Raven started, "what would you call your moves?" She asked as Beast Boy then glared at her without an answer.

[ **scene break** ]

As the Titans got back to the tower, they each made their way to their room. As the door to Cyborg's room opened he walked in and stared at everything. He didn't see a comfortable bed or a TV or maybe even a small weight set. Instead he saw computers and machines and a bunch of other technological stuff that he really wished he could just replace and forget about and never have to see again. He walked over to the picture of him as a 'normal' person and let out a deep sigh.

"Friend," the soft voice of Starfire seemed to shake up Cyborg almost causing him to drop the picture.

"Whoa," he said turning to her, "you kind of scared me there."

"Forgive me, I did not mean to interrupt,"

"No, you're good." He said as he placed the picture down. "What's up?"

"Raven told me of your 'outburst'."

"Oh, she did huh?"

"Yes," she touched his arm. "Why do you feel like the 'freak'?"

"Take a look at me and see for yourself,"

"I am, and I cannot find anything wrong with you,"

"That's easy for you to say." He said as he turned and walked over to his charging machine.

"It is not." She said as she turned away. "I, too, am different. We all are, even those who call you hurtful names. I have been called hurtful names, and though I often do not dwell on the ideas of others, I, too, have wished to be 'normal'." She walked over and looked at his picture and smiled. Cyborg didn't turn to her, but he was listening to every word. "We will never be normal, however," she said with a sigh. Cyborg could feel the defeat in her voice and hear it even more clearly than he thought she actually meant. "But perhaps we can all be the 'freak' together." She smiled and walked out of his room.

[ **scene break** ]

The day was calm and since Cyborg had been on patrol there was really no sign of crime. He just rolled around in the T-Car missing the good days when there would be a big enough problem that the team would take care of as a team. The past few months have been pretty boring to say the least. Then as he stopped at a red light he noticed the girl from the bench sitting at the bus stop reading the newspaper.

"Yo!" He called to her with a honk of his horn.

She looked up and looked hesitantly at the guy in the famed car waving at her furiously. "How's it going?" She waved back with a smile.

"Boring," he said, "can I give you a lift?"

"Don't you have some people to be saving?" She smiled. "Making someone's life safer and better?"

"I figured crime could take a break just this once,"

With a smile she walked over to the passenger's side and got in. "You know I don't normally take rides from strangers,"

"Well I'm not a stranger, am I?" He asked as the light turned green and he drove on.

"I guess not," she laughed. "Did you hear about the museum robbery last night?"

"Yeah, almost had the guy too,"

"Paper says the robber didn't take anything,"

"Really?"

"Yeah. It says the curator reported nothing missing." She said as she flipped the paper around. "Maybe you guys scared her off."

"'Her'?"

"Well you called him a guy,"

"Well I was there. I could've seen him,"

"But you didn't," she said.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Oh come on, if the Teen Titans were close enough to distinguish a gender then the guy would've been caught, right?"

"You don't always need to be so close to make that call,"

The girl sighed, "Alright then, was it a guy or a girl?"

"Well I thought it was a dude, but now I'm not sure," he said as he looked over to the girl who was staring down at the paper. "Was I going a specific way?" He asked out loud, but she didn't answer. "Um, girl?" He asked out loud.

"Oh, what?" She said as she looked up from the paper.

"Was I taking you somewhere?"

"Oh," she said as she looked around, "you know what I think you can drop me off here." She said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I can rough it the rest of the way," she smiled.

"If you say so," he said as he then pulled over to the side of the road.

"Well thanks for the ride, Vic-" she started, but stopped abruptly as she got out of the car.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said from the window. "Bye."

He watched as she crossed the street to the other side of the road. "Hey!" He called to her. "You still didn't give me your name!"

She smiled at him, "It's Charles," she said as she then continued on her way.

He sat there and thought for a minute, "That's a pretty weird name for a girl," he noted out loud, but then he started the car back up and called Robin. "Yo, Rob, I just found out that our thief from last night didn't take anything from the museum."

"I know, we just got word of it from the curator. He said everything seemed to be in place and that we probably stopped the thief before he could do anything."

"That's good, right?"

"Hopefully,"

"Are you sure we should be focusing our attention on a 'he'?" Raven asked Robin as hung up with Cyborg.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't get another male's essence in the room besides the three of you,"

"So it was a woman then?"

"I'm not sure to be honest. I picked up on something more ... mechanical. I thought it was Cyborg, but I could be wrong."

"So then a robot or some type of machine?"

"I really don't know Robin," she said.

[ **scene break** ]

BAM! The sound of an explosion rang through the night at the center of Jump City park.

"I'm on my way, Rob," Cyborg said.

"Good, the others and I are close by so we'll begin without you. Get here as soon as possi-" But before he could finish his communicator went off.

"Robin? Robin, you there?" Cyborg asked as he put the T-Car into high gear.

He pulled up to the place of an explosion in the park. Fire was everywhere, but there was no one in sight, not even the other Titans.

"Robin?" Cyborg called out. "Beast Boy? Raven? Star?"

"Do not move!" Starfire's voice came from behind him.

He turned to find a seeming delirious Starfire squinting at him, her starbolts ready to fire.

"Starfire?" He called out to her. "Wha-"

"I said to not move!" She shouted.

"Starfire, it's me! It's Cyborg,"

"I will not believe your trickery!" She said as she fired a starbolt that just missed him.

"What are you talking about?" But before she could say anything more a red blast came from behind and headed straight towards her. "Look out!" He warned.

She was able to turn, but not quick enough to dodge the blast as it made direct contact and sent her flying off of her feet and to the ground with a thud. Cyborg rushed to her aid as she curled into the fettle position and clutched her stomach. She gasped for air almost as if she was being deprived of any oxygen at all.

"Starfire! Stay with me!" He said as he cradled her.

"How touching a familiar voice said from behind a wall of fire,"

"Who's there?" He demanded as he prepared his sonic cannon. "Come out!"

Just then a girl in a long rolled up sleeved shirt and jeans marched straight out of the fire. She didn't seem to be scathed or hindered by the blaze, in fact she emerged with a smile on her face.

"Charles?"

"Actually, it's LeTonya," she said aloud, "Charles is my last name. Don't tell me you don't remember."

"What are you talking about? Who are you?"

"Maybe this will refresh your memory," she said as she then stepped back into the fire.

Cyborg looked on in horror with an injured Starfire in his arms as he watched the girl stand in the flames. She seemed very calm as her clothes began to turn to ash and parts of her skin began melting. But just as soon as it seemed like all of her was going to melt away, a few pieces of what seemed like machinery began to replace the pieces that melted off and with now a half-robotic body she stepped out from the flames.

"LeTonya? I-I don't understand... What happened? What are you?"

"Pretty cool, huh?"

"What's going on? Why are you here attacking us? What happened to you?"

"Don't you get it?" She asked as she readied her own sonic cannon. "I'm here to get rid of you! I'm here to rid the world of the Teen Titans!" She now sounded more angry than maniacal.

"Why? What have we done to you?"

"Nothing, but as a villain I still feel the impulsive need to get rid of you," she said as she stepped closer to him and got ready to shoot. "I don't know why no one has been able to do it before, but I guess that's just because no one was me!" She exclaimed as she shot her red beam it him.

Raven suddenly appeared from the ground and a force field of dark energy engulfed the three titans as they then disappeared.

"Of course," Cyborgirl scoffed as she looked at the spot where Cyborg and Starfire once were.

[ **scene break** ]

"Okay," Beast Boy started, "who or what did this to us?" He said as he placed a bag of ice on his head.

"Not a male," Raven scalded him.

"We have to find out where she is and take her out."

"How are we to find someone we have not dealt with?" Starfire asked as Raven tended to her injuries.

"Her name's LeTonya Charles," Cyborg said as he entered the room. "I knew her a while back, but after my accident I hadn't spoken to her since."

"What's she doing here?" Robin asked. "What does she want with us?"

"To get rid of us, what else?"

Starfire walked up to Cyborg who now sat at the table in a somber mood. "I want to offer my apologies, friend," she began. "I didn't know of others having your," she searched for the word, "condition. I thought it was a trick and when you, the real you, approached me I did not know what to make of it."

"Don't worry about it."

"I also want to offer my thanks," she said as she smiled at him warmly. He smiled back.

"What can you tell us about her?" Robin asked.

"She messed herself up pretty bad back in the day," Cyborg said. "Her aunt, who helped save me, used the same methods to save her,"

"But?" Beast Boy asked.

"But she didn't like it, so instead of doing good things I guess she went on and became one of the bad ones."

"So how do we stop her?"

Then the alarm for trouble went off almost immediately. It was coming from down at the warehouses by the piers; it was Cyborgirl.

"We take her apart,"

[ **scene break** ]

Cyborgirl roamed around the warehouses blowing various objects up until she came to one of the more bigger houses.

"Talk about your fixer-upper." She mused as she then aimed her sonic cannon to shoot at one of the supporting beams, but a surprise Birdarang broke her aim and instead she shot into the air. "Ow!" She screamed as she turned around to see the Titans. "I guess you never do give up." She said. "Big mistake." She smirked as she then shot at them.

"Titans, split up!" Robin shouted as the beam barely missed him.

"Running away already?" She shouted into the air.

"Not quite," Raven sneered as she hurled a wooden box at the girl.

Cyborgirl was able to destroy it with ease, but as she set her sights on Raven a green ram smashed into her from the side and sent her flying. Starfire then swooped in with Robin as she fired multiple starbolts and he threw numerous exploding Birdarangs, causing further damage. They ceased their fire after nothing was happening and they cautiously advanced on her.

"Have we-" Starfire started, but was stopped as an extending metal arm took her by surprise and knocked her and Robin back.

A red blast then took out Raven and Beast Boy. "Not even close!" Cyborgirl declared as she got to her feet. "Not even a small challenge?" She joked as a blue blast then sent her flying forward.

"Maybe just a little one," Cyborg quipped from behind her.

"You guys are really starting to annoy me!" She shouted as she then turned and fired at Cyborg.

But he was ready and fired back. Their beams collided once more and caused a blinding flash to be created. Once Cyborgirl looked back, she didn't see Cyborg standing there. She looked around, but saw none of the other Titans.

"Is that it?" She growled.

"Yo!" Cyborg called from behind her once more and she turned ready to fire. "Raven!" He shouted as dark energy then encased Cyborgirl's sonic arm and completely tore it apart.

"No!" She screamed as she turned around allowing Starfire to give her a clear starbolt-infused punch to the chest sending her flying back.

Robin then caught her with his nylon rope and tied her up as Beast Boy was then able to smash into her once more as a green ram. She smashed into the ground with a very painful thud and was able to open her eyes to see the Titans standing over.

"I'd say that's just about everything we got," Cyborg smirked.

Just then a red laser beam shot up from her eye causing the other to jump back. She was then able to jump to her feet and break out of the nylon rope.

"This isn't over!" She shouted.

"I think it is," Cyborg said as he then shot her down with his own sonic cannon.

He watched as the girl with the nice smile from the park fell onto to her back. The red light in her cyber-eye went dim as her human eye then closed.

[ **scene break** ]

"I still think there's a male museum thief out there with moves like that," Beast Boy said as they all sat around at the table.

"Would you give it a rest already?" Raven rolled her eyes.

"What I would like to know is why the female counterpart of Cyborg would come after us. Did we do something to upset her?"

"I guess we'll never know now," Cyborg said as he put his feet on the table. "I'm kind of upset that we took her down so quickly though," he added. "It felt good to have a real fight again."

"It is good to see you smile again," Starfire said to him.

"It feels good to smile again," he said. "Thanks, Star."

 


	5. Ravager - Part One

The night sky was clear and filled with millions of stars. While the other Titans spent some downtime in the living room, Robin spent most of his time in his room trying to figure out who could be the villain lurking in the shadows. It was a mystery to him, something he wouldn't let go of so easily, especially considering the attack they led on the group once they returned to Jump City. It had been months since they encountered the Slade-copycat, and the trail seemed to grow cold ever since.

"I do not understand," Starfire sighed as she slumped onto the couch next to Beast Boy. "Why does Robin not wish to be with us, his friends?"

"What'd you expect? Some Slade-wannabe shows up and tries to blast us all away and you think he's just gonna walk away from it?" Beast Boy answered as he jumped up and down trying to concentrate on his and Cyborg's game.

"No. What I do not understand is why he still searches when nothing more has come up." She sighed again.

"Look, Star, Robin has his own issues and the dude just wants to make sure we're all safe. He's just looking out for us." Cyborg chimed in. "Booyah!" He shouted as he beat Beast Boy in the video game.

"Still," she looked away, "even though he means well I just wish he would-" she was cut off as the alarm for trouble went off.

"Trouble!" Robin shouted as if appearing from thin air.

[ **scene break** ]

As they reached the area where the alarm originated, the team could tell that something was definitely wrong.

"I'm no expert, but shouldn't something be going on here?" Beast Boy scratched his head as they arrived at the bank.

Nothing was out of the ordinary from what they could tell. No explosions, no robbers, no screaming people, no nothing. It was just another quiet block in the middle of the night in the city.

"Did we miss it?" Cyborg asked.

"No," Raven insisted, "something's wrong."

"She's right," Robin agreed. "Something isn't right."

"But what is wrong?" Starfire asked. "Nothing seems to be out of 'the ordinary'."

"In all of your years spent on earth," a voice said from the shadows, "have you not learned that everything is not what it seems?"

They all turned to a darkened alley to see who was there. From the shadows emerged a girl, not much older than them, who sported a similar fashion style to their enemy, Slade. Her left eye was also covered with only a gray right eye being visible from the mask that covered the upper half of her face. Her silhouette was sleek as her loose white hair fluttered in the air, and although they had never met her before, the Titans knew anyone willing to mimic Slade's look had to be very bad news.

"So you've finally decided to show yourself," Robin sneered as he readied his staff

"It's been months since our last conversation," she mused, "I didn't want you to think that I'd forgotten about you."

"Who are you?" He demanded to know.

"Oh Robin, you really are in over your head." She snickered.

He gritted his teeth even harder. "If you're not gonna tell me, then I guess I'll have to force it out of you!" The anger from within him, the anger that only came out when the actual Slade was involved, began to creep to the surface. "Titans, go!" They hesitantly followed Robin as he charged her.

Her lips formed a crooked smile. "Have it your way," she said as four of the White Monsters that the Titans had fought before emerged from behind her and lunged at everyone except Robin.

He could only look on as the four monsters pounced on Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven. He was going to go help, but he turned back to the girl. With a smile on her lips she reached behind her and produced two sharpened katanas. She laughed as she readied herself with her swords tightly at her side.

"Tell me, Robin, how long have you been waiting for this moment? Not only do you finally get to stop chasing shadows, but you're now fighting the emulation of your own nemesis." She seemed to get more serious now.

"I'll feel a lot better when you're behind bars," he snapped.

"Then you had better be ready to pay your transgressions before you can even think of touching me!" This kind of took Robin by surprise. "You will pay for everything you've done in his name!" She shouted as she lunged at him with her swords.

The power behind her was something Robin was not expecting. If it weren't for his staff then one of her blades could've made direct contact.

"Who are you?" He demanded to know as their faces were now only mere inches from each other.

"You're gonna have to find out the hard way!" She said as she pushed away and charged him once more.

Their weapons sparked as they collided with each other. The girl was very formidable as she was able to match Robin's attacks while also landing some of her own. Meanwhile the other Titans were busy with the android-like monsters. Each one seemed to have been specially designed to match their powers: Starfire's monster was able to fly, shoot red bolts of energy and had her super strength; Raven's monster could turn invisible and thus avoid her attacks, Beast Boy's monster was able to put up a solid fight against his many animal shape-shifting forms, and Cyborg's monster acquired similar abilities regarding its limbs being adjustable and detachable and a sonic cannon.

"I fear that these things are far more advanced from when we last made battle!" Starfire cried as she took cover behind a pile of rubble along with Cyborg and Raven.

"Yeah, it's almost as if they were each specially designed to combat our moves," Cyborg noted.

"Maybe they were," Raven noted. "Maybe the last time we fought them they were only meant to observe and report."

"That would make sense." Cyborg thought out loud.

"AHHH!" Beast Boy screamed as he came crashing to the ground at the feet of the others. "Is anyone else missing Slade's much weaker goons right about now?" He asked as they all nodded in unison. "Good, Glad I'm not the only one." He said as he let his face sink back into the ground with a defeated sigh.

Starfire looked over and saw Robin fighting off the girl. "We must help him!" She said as the androids kept throwing attacks at the rocks where they hid.

"He can handle it! We have to help ourselves first!" Cyborg said as the rocks that gave them cover were then turned completely into ash by Starfire's monster.

They all turned to face the monsters. "Titans, go!" Cyborg shouted as they all then went to battle.

Robin took a knee as he gasped for breath after taking the girl's foot to his side. "Look at your team, Robin," she said as she walked behind him. "Look at them!" She shouted as she grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look up.

He watched as the others tried to fend off the androids, but to little avail. She let go of his head and proceeded to pace around him. He could feel an attack coming on, but he wanted to be ready, he wanted to be prepared for her. His hands gripped around his staff as tightly as they could.

"You know, Robin, if you weren't such a hero then I'd offer you a partnership, and maybe even consider sparing your team, just like Slade tried to do," she said as he quickly whirled his staff around to catch her off guard, but he was dead wrong as she caught his staff with her bare hand without so much as flinching. "Like I said, such a hero," she said as her hand trembled a little from the sheer force.

She then yanked his staff from his weakened grip and the last thing he could remember was a splitting pain on the side of his head before suddenly looking up at the sky. He could then hear Starfire's voice calling to him in panic, but that's all he really remembered just before his vision went black. He drifted off into the darkness as Starfire's voice faded with him.

[ **scene break** ]

When he came to he was in his room staring up at the ceiling. He immediately jumped up, but everything seemed as though nothing had happened. He didn't feel any more pain which was a little strange seeing as he remembered the hit to his head very vividly. He hurried and put on his suit and rushed to the living room.

"Titans!" He shouted as he burst in through the doors.

They all stopped what they were doing and looked at him with startled expressions. They seemed as if they hadn't just fought with ruthless android monsters. Beast Boy and Cyborg were playing the game, Raven was meditating, while Starfire was walking in his direction with a tray of drinks in hand.

"Robin!" She gleamed as she set the tray down and rushed him with an alien hug. "You are all right!" She squealed. "We had been worried when you did not wake up, but it seems as though our worries were for nothing!"

"We were mostly worried for your hearing," Raven noted.

"Yeah, Star screamed so loudly that we were sure you'd wake up deaf," Beast Boy pointed out.

"Speaking of which," Cyborg said as he signaled for Beast Boy to pay up.

"Hold on," he objected, "we don't know if he can actually hear us."

"I'm not deaf," Robin said flatly.

"Dang!" Beast Boy groaned as he fished out some money from his pockets.

"Hey!" Cyborg shouted as he counted the money. "This is only nine dollars... and a coupon to the Tofu Emporium!"

Beast Boy then turned into a cat in which he coughed up a hairball with a slight "meow". He then morphed into his human self and looked through it and pulled out a saliva-soaked one dollar bill and handed it to Cyborg with a smile. "There you go!"

"That's what I thought!" Cyborg huffed as he snatched the dollar from Beast Boy.

"What happened?" Robin asked as Starfire led him to the table.

"Do you not remember?" Starfire asked as Raven brought him a cup of tea.

"To be honest, not really, and I'm getting a little headache just trying to think about it."

"Here," Raven handed him the tea, "it'll take the pain away."

He sipped from the cup, but spit it out and onto a nearby Beast Boy.

"Dude! Gross!" Beast Boy cried.

"Sorry, but that tasted horrible,"

"So spit the other way the next time!"

"You usually like the tea," Raven sounded suspicious as she took the cup.

"Sorry, but it just tastes like one of Beast Boy's socks has been soaked in it,"

"Here," she offered him the cup once more, "it's only water this time." She said as she noticed him grimacing at it.

He drank from it. "So what happened?"

"After you reengaged Ravager in battle-"

"Who?" He asked.

"Ravager, at least that's what the girl called herself," Cyborg noted.

"Were you able to find anything on her?"

"Nothing. It's like she just appeared out of thin air," he told Robin.

"But that's impossible,"

"We know," Raven said, "but there's not much else to go on other than her name and possibly a connection to Slade."

He sighed and turned to Starfire, "I didn't mean to interrupt,"

"It is fine," she smiled. "You reengaged the Ravager, but she was able to subdue you by rendering you unconscious by hitting you in the head with your staff."

"Yeah, and then Starfire went total renegade alien and tore apart the android and blasted Ravager away and saved you," Beast Boy added.

"Something like that," Raven agreed. "After Ravager disappeared with her robots, we brought you back here."

"Indeed, and we are thrilled that you are OK," Starfire smiled once more.

"I'm not OK," he snapped. "How can I be when there's a maniac running around out there who's bent on getting rid of us? We have to go back out there, we have to find Ravager!" He said as he rushed out of the room.

"Should I not have said that?"

"Don't beat yourself up, Star. The guy just has his issues, he'll come around."

"But when?" She asked with uncertainty.

[ **scene break** ]

Everything seemed like it was back to normal in the city. There was only minimal damage done when the Titans revisited the spot where they last fought Ravager, but Robin still could remember very little. He figured that the hit to the head must've somehow messed with his ability to remember anything with any kind of clarity. He didn't know how to explain it, but he knew something was wrong.

"Have you found what you are looking for?" Starfire asked.

"I don't think so,"

"May I ask what exactly is it that you are looking for?"

"I don't know," he paused as he then bent down to move some rocks, but ended up cutting himself on broken glass. "Ouch," he said as he applied pressure, but more blood just seemed to gush out.

"Robin?" Starfire asked as he took a knee. That's when she saw the blood. "Robin? What happened?"

"I don't know, I just cut myself but it won't stop bleeding," he said in a quick tone.

"Let me see," she said as she put his hand in hers. She had a very gentle touch for someone who could lift a transit bus with one hand.

She barely touched it, but it caused Robin so much pain that he actually screamed out. He jolted up as the pain continued, but it moved from his finger up to his head. He began feeling the pain in the area he remembered where Ravager struck him. He continued to scream out in pain as the others came to see what was going on.

"What's happening?" Beast Boy asked.

"I do not know! He complained of a cut, but it seems to be causing him so much pain!"

"Robin!" Raven called to him, but he was unresponsive as he continued to scream in pain.

"Is there nothing you can do?" Starfire asked Raven.

"I'll try," she answered as she made her way over to him, but as she did he pulled out his staff on her.

He could hear Raven, but all he saw was Ravager walking towards him with her katanas drawn.

"What's the matter, Robin?" She asked in such a smooth voice.

"Leave me alone!" He said as he charged her and swiftly knocked her to her feet.

"Robin! It's me!" Raven shouted as the others rushed to them.

"Lies!" He shouted as he raised his staff to deal the final blow, but Beast Boy and Cyborg were quick as they tackled him to the ground.

He felt a little dizzy, but the pain had stopped and once he opened his eyes everything was clear once again. He sat up, but he didn't see the others anywhere.

"Raven?" He called out. "Starfire?" He didn't see them or anyone else for that matter. He got to his feet and looked around, but no one was there. Everything was quiet.

"Well, well," a smooth and familiar voice said from behind him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as his fists clenched shut.

"I came for you, Robin," she said.

He turned on his heels to face Ravager, but she wasn't there. No one was there, just like no one had been there.

"Where are you?" He screamed. "What do you want?"

Just then a small cloud of smoke appeared in front of him and out stepped Ravager. She looked just as vibrant as ever with her snow white hair flowing behind her and her gray eye staring back at him.

"I want you, Robin. I want to end you," she hissed.

"Where are they?" He demanded.

"They're safe, they're with me," she smirked.

"What?"

"You see, Robin, once you were down it was easy to take the others. They didn't put up much of a fight."

"But, but that can't be! I just-"

"You just what? Saw them this morning? Of course you did, that's what we in the business like to call an illusion. You see, you're still asleep in your bed at the tower and when you wake up you'll run off to go find the others, but they won't be there because I have them, and if you want them you'll have to come to me to get them!" She laughed as she then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"No!" He shouted as he ran towards her, but once he reached her she was gone and he opened his eyes.

She was right. He woke up to the sight of his bedroom ceiling. With a gasp of breath he jumped out of his bed and rushed down to the living room.

"Titans!" He shouted as he burst through the doors, but there was no one.

He looked around for them, but nothing. Wherever Ravager was that's where he'd find the other Titans.

 


	6. Ravager - Part Two

_I am your worst nightmare come to life._

"Raven?"

_How long have you been waiting for this moment?_

"Beast Boy?"

_Not only do you finally get to stop chasing shadows, but you're now fighting the emulation of your own nemesis._

"Cyborg?"

_You will pay for everything you've done in his name!_

"Starfire!" Robin shouted into his communicator for the hundredth time, but was only met with static on the other end.

He searched through the streets of Jump City over and over, but nothing he did led him anywhere except to dead ends. The other Titans had been missing for over two days already, but if Robin couldn't find them and save them, then no one could. With little to go on he returned to the tower just as it started to rain.

He walked into his room and looked around. All he could see were articles and newspaper clippings from their past missions. Titans Save City and Titans Restore Order lined the walls of his room in black and white, but one big, red question still lingered: Who is Slade? Now that name had been replaced with Ravager. With Slade out of the picture for now and the Titans missing, Ravager had become number one on his list.

"Where can they be?" He demanded to know as he pounded his fists against the table.

His breathing was heavy and he was beginning to feel weary, like if he was going to collapse right then and there from the pressure and the stress.

"Giving up already?" A familiar voice came from behind him. He turned as soon as he heard it, but there was no one there. "I always knew you were weak," the voice said. "You could hardly survive my apprenticeship."

"Where are you, Slade?" Robin called out to the darkness.

"I'm here, Robin, in your mind. Always," he said. "I never even left."

"What do you want?"

"Whether you like it or not I'm a part of you," he started, "and whether I like it or not I'm still a part of you. I feel what you feel, see what you see, hear what you hear."

"What do you want?" Robin demanded once more.

"Touchy," he mused. "I see your patience hasn't changed much. You remind me of a great deal of myself-"

"I'm nothing like you!"

"Oh, but aren't you?" His voiced loomed over him like the dark clouds outside. "I'm here to help, Robin, whether we like both like it or not,"

"I'd never listen to you! You'd never help me or anyone else for that matter!"

"On the contrary. As I recall we helped each other once before. Remember?"

"Only because there was something in it for you," he thought about this. "So what do you want?"

"Now you're thinking. I'm looking to make a trade; your team for the girl."

"What girl?"

"Ravager,"

"What do you want with her?"

"My intentions are mine, and mine alone." The two sounded just like each other, almost as if they were alike in more ways than the one. "Do we have a deal?"

"If you know where she is then why do you need my help?"

"I don't know where she is, but if I help you find her then I will know where she is. See how that works?"

Robin thought about this. The last thing he ever wanted to be doing was aligning himself with someone like Slade. "Where do we start?"

[ **scene break** ]

"Let us go!" Starfire demanded from inside an electric cell.

"Now, now," Ravager said as she walked up to the bars, "don't make this harder than it already is,"

"What do you want with us?" Raven asked.

"It's simple really. I'm keeping you here because I want Robin."

"For what evil purpose?" Starfire huffed.

"No purpose at all. You see, you Titans are trouble, but you're only trouble when Robin is at the helm and that's also when you are at your most powerful. So I decided to separate you from your precious leader knowing you'd be no match for me, and you weren't." She made her way between the cells that separated the four heroes.

"What do you want with Robin?" Cyborg demanded.

"What every other villain wants; to do away with him," she smirked. "He'll come looking for you, and he'll find you of course, and that's when I'll make my move."

"And then will you let us go?" Beast Boy asked with a hopeful tone.

"Not quite. Since you're the bait I have to keep you alive for now, but once Robin is out of the picture then I'll move on to the rest of you," she told him.

"Hopefully he takes his time then," Beast Boy laughed nervously before sinking to the ground.

[ **scene break** ]

"Where can she possibly be hiding them?" Robin asked as he drove through the streets on his motorcycle.

"Think Robin, where would I go in a situation like this? Where would I go?" Slade's voice guided him.

He thought for a while as he then sped up heading for the outskirts of the city. The rain picked up, but Robin had hardly noticed any of it. He was surprised that he hadn't thought to look here before, but after thinking that it was virtually useless he ruled it out as an option. It had been some time since the Titans had a run in with Raven's father, Trigon. The old city library still stood looking out over the harbor, what was left of it. Most of it had been destroyed after Raven opened the portal, but there were still some remnants of the old building including an outside portion that beheld the Mark of Scath.

Robin got off his motorcycle and walked up to the ruins. The building may have been destroyed, but under a strategically placed pile of rubble was an underground entrance. He'd found her, he'd found them.

"She'll be expecting you," the voice warned him.

"Good, I hope she's ready for a fight." He said through his clenched teeth.

He then began his descent down the tunnel. With his roped Birdarang and an ambitious jump he was at the bottom, but there was nothing in sight that led to a doorway of any kind. It was all just solid stone. That's when he remembered that when the Titans first came here to save Raven the doorway to her wasn't at the bottom, but at the center. So he repelled up and sure enough there was the door that bore the now faded mark of Raven's father.

There had been a monitor installed that required a password to enter, so Robin blew the door down. The sound of the explosion could be heard all the way down to where Ravager, along with the captive titans, waited.

"Sounds like we have company," Ravager smirked to herself.

She then summoned her White Monsters and ordered them to go and intercept him. Of course she knew that he would defeat them, in fact she was counting on it, but she was merely using them. The androids were more to weaken him down making the kill that much easier. What she didn't count on was the fact that at this point Robin was very angry and looking to rip the head off of something. Then again that could've been her plan the whole time.

As he made his way deeper down the tunnel he took out his staff as a precaution. He walked on further, but as he did eight pairs of red, glowing eyes appeared behind him. His stomach tightened and he inhaled, then with a quickness he turned on his heels and flung an exploding Birdarang in the direction of the monsters. It was thrown with so much fervor that it sliced straight through one as it then lodged itself in the head of a second where it exploded and destroyed the android. The other two quickly advanced on him. He was able to fight them off, but their abilities to mimic the tunnel surroundings began making it difficult to keep up. Ravager's plan was seemingly working. She watched the whole thing on a monitor.

"You see, Titans, your great leader isn't so great after all, is he?" She taunted them as she looked at her reflection in one of her katanas.

"Please," Starfire sounded more worried, most likely for Robin's sake than her own, "why do you wish harm upon us and Robin?"

"Don't try that on me," she snapped.

"Try what?" Raven asked.

"Try to make me reveal some sob story about my past that somehow intertwines with yours or his and then try to get me to see the error of my ways," she sounded like she was getting very upset. "I don't have a back story, I don't have a reason. I'm the bad guy, it's what I do, it's what I've always done. You may be the greatest heroes the world has come to know, but to me you're all just another nuisance that needs to be taken care of." For a brief moment the slightest remorse or regret could be heard in her voice, but it was hard to tell what it actually was because seconds later a nearby wall came crashing in.

Dust and dirt was kicked up into a thick cloud making it difficult to see, but once it settled the answer was clear. One of Ravager's androids were tossed to her feet, it's eyes were dim and there was a puncture wound right between them.

"I was beginning to question if I'd made this too hard for you," she said aloud to no one at first.

"No such thing," Robin answered as he then appeared from the darkness of the tunnel.

"Let's not get cocky," she quipped.

"Release them," he snarled, "now!"

She calmly picked up her second katana and readied them. "Now we both know the answer to that."

"This is your last chance, Ravager,"

"Good because I'm getting tired of listening to you talk!" She exclaimed as she then charged him.

He waited until just the exact moment to jump out of her way causing her to become distracted and lose her balance. He then threw her to the ground with a hit to her back with his staff. The ferocity in his attacks was much more relevant now as he just about boiled over with rage. She jumped back to her feet and quickly reengaged him with slices from her swords and well-versed martial arts skills.

"Coming here was a mistake, Robin,"

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Since when do you comply with the bad guy?"

"Since they kidnap my team and put their lives at risk instead of coming at us with a fair fight," he huffed as he began fighting more on the offense.

"I'm a villain," she fought back, "we don't do 'fair'!"

As they fought each other Beast Boy was able to morph into a fly and narrowly slip through the electric bars that lined the cells.

"Glorious!" Starfire cheered. "You have escaped!"

"Glorious? Glorious!" He shouted as he tried to put out the smoke from his hair. "This will take forever to even out!"

"What? You mean you could've done that this whole time?" Cyborg scolded him as he made his way to the control panel.

"Uh, kind of," he smiled awkwardly as he then looked at all the buttons in confusion.

"Then why didn't you?"

"And get diced by Lady Shiva over there? Don't think so," he said. "Now how do I work this?"

"It looks like a highly elevated monotonically enabled device. You're gonna have to carefully remove the underlying rigging in the panel to disable the sensory pad," Cyborg instructed.

"Um, okay, I think I got it," he said as he then morphed into an elephant and smashed it. "Ta-da!" He said as the electric field to Cyborg's cell dropped.

"Uh, dude," Cyborg whispered.

"No thank you necessary big guy,"

"Don't worry, you ain't gonna get one!" He shouted and pointed behind him.

Beast Boy turned to see an enraged Ravager now charging him with both blades ready to dice him to pieces.

"AHHHHH!" He screamed. "Do something!" He demanded of Cyborg.

"I can't! My battery's running out of juice. Anything I do now could fry it!"

"So? We'll fix you!" Beast Boy begged Cyborg as he jumped onto him trying to engage his sonic cannon while using Cyborg as a shield at the same time.

She was mere inches away when Robin's roped Birdarang came from behind her and wrapped her up. Her swords were deathly close to Beast Boy, but before Robin could pull her back she jumped in the air and kicked him square in the face sending him flying into the wall behind Cyborg.

"I hate to say it, but you kind of deserved that one," Raven noted.

"Oh yeah? Then you deserve to stay locked in there," Beast Boy said as he staggered to his feet while rubbing his cheeks.

Just then a field of dark energy engulfed the sensory pad just outside of Raven's cell and destroyed it, freeing her and allowing her to free Starfire.

"What? You could've done that this whole time?" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Yes,"

"Well why didn't you?"

"Clearly this was something that needed to happen. Ravager obviously doesn't care what she has to do to get to Robin. If we escaped then she could've done something even more disastrous that involved people who can't protect themselves like we can." She said. "Besides we all knew Robin would find us and we all know he'll be OK."

"But we must help him," Starfire started.

"No," Cyborg stopped her. "Raven's right. If we stop her then she'll just run away and will try something different next time, something worse than kidnapping us." Starfire had no other option but to watch as Robin and Ravager went head to head.

Ravager looked back and saw that the others had freed themselves. "No!" The slight pause gave Robin the upper hand in finally being able to land enough critical blows to bring the girl to her knees.

He then tied her up once more and threw her into one of the cells that could still be operated and put up the electric field.

"Robin!" Starfire exclaimed as she hugged him. "I'm so very thrilled that you are no longer injured!"

"Thanks... Star," he said between breaths. "Sorry I took so long," he said as she let him go.

"We never doubted you," Raven nodded in understanding.

"Yo, I hate to cut things short and all, but can we go home now? I'm coaxing on fumes here," Cyborg asked aloud.

"Sounds good to me," Robin agreed as he then turned to the trapped Ravager. "You ready to get transferred to a more permanent holding."

She began laughing. "You think you've won?" They all looked at one another. "You'll never be free from me, from us." She hissed. "Wherever you go, whatever you do, we'll be there in your mind like we never even left," she continued laughing.

"Who are you t-" Robin started, but stopped as the tunnel began rumbling.

"Uh," Beast Boy asked while listening intently.

"All the activity down here must've triggered the unstable ground. It's gonna cave in!" Cyborg noted. "We need to go, now!"

Just as they were about to open the cell to retrieve Ravager, a huge boulder fell between them blocking their access to her.

"No!" Robin shouted. "We have to get her!"

"We don't have the time!" Raven rushed.

He began looking for an exploding Birdarang as more rocks fell, but as he found one a field of dark energy surrounded him. Before he was fully engulfed in darkness, he was able to get a glimpse of a helpless-looking Ravager, but before he could do anything the next thing he knew he was standing outside. The sun was beginning to shine through the parting rain clouds. The team watched as the rest of the library imploded on itself sealing Ravager's fate. Robin looked away as Starfire walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"She didn't deserve that," he said.

"We cannot change what's been done," Starfire assured him.

"Raven, is she-" he asked, but couldn't finish the question.

"I'm not getting any kind of reading down there," she said. "I'm sorry, Robin."

"Don't be," he said. "Let's go." They all began walking towards the city.

"How did you manage to locate the Ravager?" Starfire asked.

"I had some unexpected help," he said as they continued on their way.

"Hey Raven, there anyway you can just teleport us home? You know, save us the walk and all?" Beast Boy asked.

"Sure, why not?" She said as she, Starfire, Robin and Cyborg suddenly vanished.

Beast Boy waited for a moment or so for his turn. "Uh, Raven?" Nothing. "Raven! This isn't funny!" He shouted.

[ **scene break** ]

Down in the darkness of the demolished cave there was some movement. There was, in fact, someone down there making their way through the rubble.

"Interesting," Slade said as he bent down and picked up Robin's nylon rope with the body of Ravager nowhere to be found.

 

 


	7. The Ballad of Beast Boy

"Go, Beast Boy! Stop the generator!" Mento called to him between bouts of agony.

"But sir, you need my help!"

"Don't worry about us, Beast Boy," Elasti-Girl struggled.

He turned to face the erected tower which stood in the center of the room. It generated a massive black hole at the top which continued to pull objects into it. If it were to grow any larger then it would surely be able to pull in much larger things, such as the entire building or any one of the neighboring villages and its people.

"Do it now!" Mento ordered.

Beast Boy flinched from the anger in Mento's voice. He had never morphed into an animal that would be big enough to take out the tower, but he knew he had to try. His eyes shut tightly and his fists clenched and in a moment's notice he had morphed into a green tyrannosaurus. He roared in disbelief, and with a sense of overwhelming achievement he turned back to the Doom Patrol who writhed in agony under the beams installed by the Brotherhood of Evil.

"Quite impressive, green one," the Brain's robotic voice congratulated him. "But now you must choose to either save your family or destroy your enemy."

The green dinosaur wavered under the pressure, and in the blink of an eye he raced over to his team mates. With a swish of his powerful tail and with help from his powerful jaws, Beast Boy was able to destroy the machines that produced the beams and save his team.

"Good going, kid," Robotman thanked him between huffs of breath.

Mento glared at him as he gasped for air. Although Beast Boy was in animal form he could still notice the anger in Mento's expression.

"Negative Man," Mento started.

"I'm on it, boss," he said as his astral body then zapped from his flesh and infiltrated the tower that was generating the black hole.

Within seconds the tower began to rupture and produce smoke from the tampering as Negative Man then returned to his body. The black hole began to dissipate as the tower began falling apart with the Brotherhood looking on in disappointment.

"What a shame," the Brain said, "all that hard work, but no matter. You may have destroyed the machine, but I still have the blueprints to make another." It said as it mocked the Doom Patrol's efforts. "Madame Rouge, if you would be so kind." It said as Madame Rouge then pulled down a nearby lever causing the floor to open up and swallow the villains and then close once more.

"We did it!" Beast Boy cheered as he morphed back into his human self.

"No thanks to you," Mento snapped as he turned to the young boy.

"Steve," Elasti-Girl started to object.

"I gave you an order, Beast Boy, and you disobeyed me. Because of you the Brain and the others got away,"

"But we took out the tower," Beast Boy's voice was small and soft and hurt.

"What good is that when they can just build another? What good are you to this team if you can't follow a simple order?"

"Steve!" Elasti-Girl put herself between Beast Boy and Mento. "That's enough! Beast Boy did a great job, and if it weren't for him none of us would be standing here now."

"Yeah, give the kid a break," Robotman agreed.

"The Brotherhood may have gotten away, but we'll find them again." Negative Man assured him.

"Now isn't the time to be hard on him, Steve. Today was a big accomplishment for him," she said referring to his morphing into a tyrannosaur.

"Alright, alright," Mento gave in. "I'm sorry for getting after you, Beast Boy-" he began, but stopped once he realized that Beast Boy was no longer there.

[ **scene break** ]

"You're up early," Raven noted as she walked on to the roof.

"Yeah, thought I'd catch the sunrise before it, you know...rose."

"Smooth,"

"What are you doing up here?"

"I come up here to meditate. This is usually a good time to find my center, sometimes it's the only time I get."

"Oh,"

"Is everything OK?" She asked.

"I don't know. I've been having a lot of weird dreams lately,"

"What are they about?"

"Sometimes they're different, but they usually have something to do with the Doom Patrol," he sighed as he put his head on his knees.

"What's so weird about that?"

"I always wake up feeling like there's a reason for them,"

"Maybe there is," Raven said as she then sat cross-legged and began to hover just above the roof. "Have you tried getting in touch with them?"

"I don't really have a way,"

"So then why don't you go visit them?"

His ears flickered to the idea. "You think I should?"

"If you think you should, then why not? It's not like any of us can stop you. They were your family once, and no matter how much you may think otherwise, they still are."

"Maybe I will," he seemed to cheer up some. "Thanks Raven!" He said as he morphed into a dog and licked the side of her face as he then ran inside barking with happiness.

She wiped the slobber off her face and shut her eyes tightly, "Find your center, Raven. Find your center." But her eyes reopened once more and she smiled a little just as the sun was coming up.

[ **scene break** ]

"Are you sure you don't want us to go with you?" Robin asked.

"I'll be fine, besides you guys need to stay here in case anything comes up." Beast Boy explained.

"Oh! I do wish you well on your travels!" Starfire exclaimed as she proceeded to hug him. "Be safe, friend, and do not talk to the strangers!"

"Thanks...Star," he said as he gasped for air.

"Be careful out there, man," Cyborg said. "I'd let you use the T-Car, but then I remembered what happened the last time I let you operate heavy machinery," he laughed.

"That's probably for the best," he laughed awkwardly. "Well I guess I'm off," Beast Boy said as he then turned to Raven.

"I think we had our moment when you licked me," she said.

"Thanks again," he smiled as he walked out of the room.

"I will miss him," Starfire said as her eyes began to tear up.

"He's coming back, Star," Robin said.

"But what if he finds his stay more pleasurable back with his old team than he does with us, his new team?"

"Something tells me he won't," Cyborg tried to whisper while holding in a laugh.

He then whispered into Starfire's ear causing her to giggle as well. They both then turned to Raven and began staring at her all while trying their best to hold back their laughter.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing," Cyborg mused.

"Tell me, Raven," Starfire started as she hovered over to her, "is the licking of one a common custom between two people before the other departs on a journey?" She asked while holding back her laugh.

Raven looked at both of them with no expression and sighed, "Then again, he just might decide to stay over there after all." She said causing both Starfire and Cyborg to burst into an uncontrollable laughing fit.

[ **scene break** ]

It may have taken him a few days, but Beast Boy finally made it to the headquarters of the Doom Patrol. With the Brotherhood frozen and no indication of any trouble, he was sure he'd find them there. But as he made his way towards the building, and really ever since he left Jump City, Beast Boy had the feeling that he was not alone on this journey. He looked over his shoulders so many times that he was certain he broke his neck at one point, but luckily that wasn't the case.

He walked up to the building and, without knowing what else to do, rang the doorbell. He waited for what seemed like forever, but was really only a few minutes before a familiar robot answered the door. Robotman stood there glaring at Beast Boy making him feel very uncomfortable.

"Hi,"

"Kid!" Robotman suddenly morphed into the fun loving person Beast Boy knew back when he was still on the team.

He grabbed Beast Boy by the arms and gave him a hug that could've rivaled Starfire's. "Hey...Cliff," he said as he gasped for air. "Nice to see you...too,"

"It's been a long time, kid," Robotman said as the two walked through the halls of the Doom Patrol's headquarters.

"I know, and I'm sorry that I walked out on you guys,"

"You had every right. If I were you I would've done the same thing."

"Yeah?"

"Sure," he paused. "Besides, you look like you found a real good spot with the Titans,"

"Yeah," he agreed. "So how's everything been holding up with the others?" Robotman grew silent and made no eye-contact. "Cliff?"

"It's been rough, kid. With the Brotherhood dealt with and no one on our case anymore, Mento went a little stir crazy. He went a little rogue at one point too. Got himself into a real bad accident after he claims he went after Madame Rouge."

"Madame Rouge? But she's-"

"Yeah, I know,"

"Well how is he doing on?" He asked as they stopped in front of a door.

"See for yourself," Robotman said as he pressed a button that opened the door and revealed an infirmary-like room.

There were monitors and machines and computers everywhere. It wasn't a room much bigger than a hospital room, and there in the center lie Mento. He was still in his bed, bandaged from head-to-toe. His eyes were shut as the breathing monitor connected to him gave off the only indication that he was still alive.

"How did this happen?"

"We're still trying to figure that out, but he went into a coma a few days after we brought him back; haven't been able to talk to him about anything sense." He said as he and Beast Boy stood at the bed side.

"Cliff?" A familiar woman's voice called from behind them. "Who was at the d-" she began, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Beast Boy. "Beast Boy?"

"Hey, Rita," he said shyly.

She walked closer to him still in a little bit of shock. "It's been so long since we've last seen you," she smiled as she then caressed his cheek.

In an instant Beast Boy found himself giving his former teammate, who basically acted as a mother to him, a hug. It took Elasti-Girl by surprise, but she got over it and began hugging him back. For the first time in a long time Beast Boy began feeling at home again.

"What's going on?" Negative Man walked in from the other side of the room. "I heard the doorbell ring, which is kind of weird that a superhero headquarters even has a doorbell," he started, but Robotman soon shushed him as he motioned to Beast Boy and Elasti-Girl.

"Whoa," Negative Man said, "that you over there, Beast Man?" He joked.

"Negative Man," Beast Boy turned to him with a smile. "Long time, no see," he smiled as he walked over to him and gave him a hug.

He then noticed that Negative Man's body began to feel a bit heavier, as if he were no longer holding himself up...as if he were no longer able to hold himself up.

"Negative Man?" Beast Boy asked as he tried to back away, but Negative Man's body didn't back away or even answer.

Instead it fell over and on to the floor once Beast Boy let go.

"AHHHH!" He screamed as he saw the lifeless body of his old teammate lying on the floor. "Negative Man!"

"Yeah?" A voice resembling that of Negative Man's asked from behind him.

Beast Boy turned to see his astral form hovering in the air just before him. He let out a sigh of relief as the others let out a small laugh. Negative Man then returned to his body.

"It would be nice if you can place me on the floor gently next time," Negative Man said as he rubbed his head.

"Not funny!" Beast Boy huffed.

"Yes it was," Negative Man teased the young Titan as he got to his feet. "Always has been, always will be," he laughed.

Beast Boy came around with a smile of his own as he gave in.

"I've missed you guys!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"And we've missed you," Elasti-Girl said. "It's always felt like there's been a piece of us missing since you left the team. I almost forgot how that began to feel, until after our little reunion a while back." She smiled.

"It feels just like the good, old days," Beast Boy smiled grinned from ear to ear. It began to fade, however, once he realized that the others weren't smiling or agreeing with him. "What's wrong?"

"I wish things were the same, Beast Boy," Elasti-Girl said as she glanced at Robotman and Negative Man, "but they aren't. The truth is that...the Doom Patrol is breaking up."

The words hit him like a ton of bricks. He could feel his heart stop almost immediately and suddenly he could no longer breathe. It was like everything he had ever known, everything he came from, his whole past, was being erased right in front of his eyes.

"'Breaking up'? But, but why?"

"It's just the way some things happen, kid," Cliff said as he placed his hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "People grow up, and they grow apart," he sighed.

"But let's not dwell on that," Rita quickly tried to change the subject. "How have you been?"

"How can you tell me that you guys are disbanding and act like it doesn't mean anything? This is the Doom Patrol, how can you guys be disbanding? How can we be disbanding?"

"It hasn't been we for a long time, Beast Boy," Negative Man added.

"Like Cliff said, it happens and there's really nothing we can do about it," Elasti-Girl started. "What do you say we all go to the Main Hall and grab a little something to eat, yeah?"

"Don't treat him like a kid, Rita," a faint voice said from behind Robotman.

"Mento?" Beast Boy asked as Robotman turned and they could all see him as he lay there, still.

They all gathered around his bed and watched as his fingers began to twitch some and soon his eyes began to flutter open. He couldn't make out much as his vision still adjusted to the lighting, but he could see the four blurry figures standing over him.

"It's been a while," Mento murmured.

"Steve!" Elasti-Girl sounded like she was going to cry as she took his hand.

"Rita," he started.

"No," she stopped him, "you need your rest right now. We can talk later,"

He kind of chuckled, "I've been 'resting' for the past few weeks-"

"'Few weeks'?" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Why didn't anyone tell me anything?" He sounded a little upset, but even more hurt than anything else.

"Beast Boy," Elasti-Girl started,

"No, let me talk to him," Mento said.

"Alright," Elasti-Girl agreed as she and the other two Doom Patrol members left the room.

"What happened?" Beast Boy asked as he approached Mento.

"Not even a 'hello'?" Mento asked rhetorically.

"Sorry,"

"Nah, don't worry about it, son. You remind me of myself...I almost forgot what that was like," he said.

"So, what did happen?"

"I don't really know, to be honest. I was on patrol around the city when I got a distress call. I thought it was just another minor something, but when I got to the scene..." he drifted off.

"Mento?"

"Beast Boy, do you believe in ghosts?"

"After living with Raven, I can say that I do,"

"Well when I got to the scene I saw...I saw Madame Rouge,"

"Madame Rouge? But that's impossible," he thought for a while. "But what does that have to do with ghosts?"

"That's what I saw when I saw her; a ghost."

"But Rouge is just frozen, she isn't-"

"I know, but that's all I could describe it as. Clearly she wasn't an actual ghost," he said as he motioned to his injuries.

"She did this to you?"

"They all think I'm crazy, Beast Boy. I'm the only one who's fought her."

"How do you know?"

"I may have been in a coma, but my mentality was still very much active. I could hear them and since this whole incident they haven't seen her. They haven't seen her since we all fought the Brotherhood."

"Mento, why is the Doom Patrol disbanding?" Beast Boy asked.

"We have nothing to fight for anymore, son. We've run our course. We'll always be a team, but we can't spend our lives sitting in this building. We have to go out and finish our own journeys," he said, but before Beast Boy could respond an alarm began going off.

"What's going on?" Beast Boy asked.

Mento looked at him and said only one thing, "Rouge."

[ **scene break** ]

With Beast Boy accompanying them, Elasti-Girl, Robotman, and Negative Man set out to find what the reason for the alarm was.

"So whose idea was it to disband?" Beast Boy asked Elasti-Girl as they made their way through the woods.

"It was a mutual agreement, Beast Boy," she told him.

"But why?"

She stopped and turned to him, "You and your friends, the Titans, are the next generation and it's your time right now. You've taken care of our number one enemy, and so what can we do but wait around and chase petty thieves and shadows? I don't know about the others, but I don't want that to be my future forever."

"But you're a hero, it's your job,"

She smiled then kept on walking.

"Don't take it hard, kid," Robotman said. "She's getting to that point in her life, we all are."

"What point is that?"

"You'll know when the day comes," he patted Beast Boy's shoulder as they then kept walking.

"I don't understand," Elasti-Girl said as they came to a clearing, "there's nothing out here,"

"Maybe it was just some kind of prank," Negative Man said.

"I vouldn't be so sure," a thick Russian accent said from the darkness of the shrubbery.

They all quickly turned to see a woman emerge from the trees. She looked just like Madame Rouge, but it couldn't possibly be her.

"Madame Rouge!" Robotman exclaimed in anger. "Mento was right, you have returned,"

She began laughing, "You heroes are all the same. You never see with your minds, just your eyes."

"What's she talking about?" Negative Man asked.

"Pathetic," she spat the word out. "Vhy don't you tell them, Beast Boy," she smirked at him.

They all turned to Beast Boy, "Don't look at me, I don't know what she's-" he then stopped as he began thinking. "Gemini," he whispered.

"Who?" Negative Man asked.

"That isn't Madame Rouge," Beast Boy challenged. "It's Gemini,"

"Again, who?" Negative Man asked once more.

"I don't know exactly, but she's bad news and if I'm right then she's the same person who Mento fought."

"Impressive...green one," she congratulated as she took on the voice of the Brain as she began morphing into her natural self.

"You may not be Madame Rouge, but we'll take you down either way!" Elasti-Girl exclaimed. "Doom Patrol, go!" She shouted, but before she or Robotman or Negative Man could move Gemini was able to stretch her limbs quick enough to place little devices onto the chest of each of them, except Beast Boy.

"What are these?" Negative Man asked.

"Allow me to demonstrate," Gemini smirked as she then pressed a button on a controller which seemingly triggered the devices to emit an electric wave powerful enough to subdue each of them and render them unconscious.

"What's going on? What did you do?" He demanded to know as he rushed to Elasti-Girl's side.

"Just a little something that can give us some alone time," she said with words as seductive as she was.

"What do you want with me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She said as she took out a lasso. "I'm going to finish you off,"

"Why? I haven't done anything to you!"

"Yes you have!" She shouted back as she then wrangled him.

He tried to escape, but the lasso appeared to be electrical as well and she was thus able to subdue his powers, but not to knock him out.

"What did I do?" He said trying to deal with the pain from the electricity.

"Come on, Beast Boy, are you telling me you still haven't connected the dots since our last tango?" She said as she paced around him.

"Can't say that I have,"

"I've come after you and the Doom Patrol in retaliation, I disguise myself as Madame Rouge, my powers are similar to hers, and I'm a villain!" She shouted, but Beast Boy still looked at her with confusion. "You and the other Titans took something from me the day you defeated the Brotherhood of Evil! You took away my mother!" She said as she lashed out at him and slapped him across the face.

"OW!" He cried out. "You're the daughter to Madame Rouge? Then why go after the Doom Patrol? They didn't have anything to do with this!"

"It was all in my mother's name. I was doing it for her!" She slapped him once more.

"Stop that and let me go, dude!"

"Oh no, no, no," she said as she stepped away, "you're not leaving unless you're no longer breathing!" She shouted as she then turned up the voltage and began electrocuting him once more.

She continued to push up the electricity as she laughed manically.

"Enough!" A voice called to Gemini from behind her prompting her to stop electrocuting Beast Boy to turn around.

She turned to find a weak Mento staring her down. "How cute," she laughed. "What are you gonna do? You're a weak, old fool!" She said as she extended her hands to grab him, but as her hands got to him they went straight through. "What?"

"Over here!" He called to her from her right side as he then let off a powerful mind blast that sent her flying back into a tree.

"You'll pay for that!" She said as she got up while rubbing her head.

"Don't think so," he said as he sent off another mind blast that was powerful enough to send her flying off deep into the woods.

He then wobbled over to the semi-conscious Beast Boy. "Garfield, son?" He called to him, but by now Beast Boy only heard mumbles right before he passed out.

[ **scene break** ]

When he came to he found himself staring up at a gray ceiling. He looked to his right and then to his left and all he could see were computers and monitors and machines. He figured he was in an infirmary-like room. He sat up as he then heard the door to the room opening.

"Mento?" He asked aloud.

"No, it's just me," Raven said with a glass of water.

"Raven? What are you doing here?"

"I kind of live here,"

"I'm back at Titans Tower? But why? What about Elasti-Girl and Robotman and Gemini," he struggled to get out of bed.

"Take it easy," she told him as she calmed him down and gave him the glass of water. "Everyone's fine," she assured. "It's about time you came to. I guess Gemini's device really packed a punch,"

"How long was I out?"

"Couple of weeks,"

"And the Doom Patrol?"

"They're still together at their headquarters, although they had to relocate to pursue Gemini," she said as Beast Boy looked away. "Mento asked me if I would tell you how proud he is of you," she told him.

"Really?"

"Mhmm, and that if you ever need them that they'll be there for you,"

"Thanks," he smiled.

Raven then turned around to leave the room, "Hey, Raven,"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for telling me to go,"

"As long as you promise not to lick me anymore, then you're welcome." She said as she walked out of the room.

 


	8. Revelations

The sun shone brightly over Jump City. Its rays gleamed across the ocean making it seem to glimmer as the waves rolled against each other. It had been an easy week for the Titans, but with fewer and fewer villains to fight it seemed as these easy weeks took the longest to get through.

"Tell me once more," Starfire started, "why it is necessary for you to stay in constant meditation,"

"My powers are driven by my emotions," Raven began explaining as her eyes remained shut. "If I want to keep control of my powers then I have to keep control of my emotions. The best way to do that is through my meditation."

"But do you not grow tiresome of it? I should believe that if I were to meditate for so long for so often then it might become an annoyance,"

"You don't say?" Raven asked sarcastically as she peeked over at Starfire.

"Anything on the scanner, Cyborg?" Robin asked as he walked into the living room.

"Nothing; just likes it's been for the past week or so, man,"

"Robin," Starfire started as she hovered to him, "do you not think it best now that we take the time to go and make certain that the Brotherhood and our other foes are still captive?"

"I still think it's unnecessary, Star. We all know there's nothing to worry about; they're all still frozen,"

"I don't know, Robin," Raven chimed in, "I've been getting weird feelings as well, ever since we battled Gemini. Things just don't feel right,"

"Would you guys just give it a rest? We have flash-frozen them in an underground lair in Paris. There's no way they can possibly escape,"

"Robin, please," Starfire lowered her voice some making it sound like she was now very concerned, "I do not think we should 'give it a rest'. Both Raven and I believe we should at the very least perform the check on them."

He sighed, "Cyborg? Beast Boy?"

"Whatever, man. As long as we get to finally do something, then I'm in,"

"Ditto," Beast Boy said as he morphed back into his human self from being a dog sprawled out along the couch.

"Well then, I guess we're going to Paris,"

[ **scene break** ]

The city was beautifully lit upon the team's arrival, especially with the Eiffel Tower standing at full attention and lit up harmoniously like a Christmas tree.

"The city is most spectacular," Starfire sighed in adoration.

"Take all the sights in you want now; where we're going isn't much to behold," Robin added grimly as he continued to steer the T-Ship towards the direction that would lead them to the secluded entrance of the underground prison.

As they got closer the lights from the city seemed to get further and further away, like if there had been a barrier that not even the light would dare try to conquer. Cyborg landed the T-Ship directly in front of a dense, dark forest.

[ **scene break** ]

"Aw man!" Beast Boy cried as he and the others got out of the T-Ship. "It's gonna take days, months, even hours to get through there!"

"Alright, well we'll probably have to split up to have a better chance of getting there faster," Robin began, but as he continued to talk a shroud of dark energy engulfed he and the other Titans and within minutes they were standing in front of a huge door with the Brotherhood of Evil's decomposing insignia.

"Or we can just do that," Raven added.

"Or we can just do that..." Robin repeated through his teeth.

The door was very heavy and would not budge on its own, so Beast Boy morphed into a T-Rex and with a swat of his tail the door came crashing down. Dust and dirt was kicked up into the air from the fallen door causing the Titans to have a coughing fit.

"Nice going," Raven said.

"I'd say thanks, but I don't think you deserve it," he said in a huff noticing her sarcasm.

"It seems as nothing is changed," Starfire noted, "but the lack in lighting could be the cause for that."

"Cyborg, any idea how to get any light going in here?" Robin asked.

"I can try to get something up and running, but I'm not making any promises," he said as he then opened his arm and began scanning for some sort of generator.

"Now I definitely don't have a good feeling about this," Raven said just as Cyborg was able to get the lights on.

"That should do it," he said as the remaining lights began flickering on.

They walked through the numerous corridors, but finally came to the main hall where their final battle with the Brotherhood took place and where all the villains should still be flash-frozen. But to the surprise of the Titans there was nothing or no one to be seen.

"No!" Starfire gasped.

"How is this even possible?" Beast Boy asked in shock.

"I knew there was something wrong," Raven noted.

"Cyborg-" Robin started.

"I'm just as confused as you are, man," he said as he looked on in awe.

"But I do not understand," Starfire began, "how could all of the villains have escaped?"

"The real question is why we haven't had a run in with any of them, especially the main Brotherhood members," Raven added.

"Maybe they defected to our side?" Beast Boy mused.

"Right..." Raven said with doubt.

"All right Titans, now we really have to split up and search the base for anything we can find," Robin began. "We'll meet back up here in-" he started, but just as he was going to continue the floor opened underneath him and swallowed him whole, closing almost immediately.

"Robin!" Starfire called out. "Where did he-" she was cut-off as she too was swallowed up by the floor as the remaining Titans soon met the same fate and fell through holes in the floor.

[ **scene break** ]

"AHHH!" Robin shouted as he fell down a long shaft in the floor.

The floor opened once more and with a thud he fell on to another floor. He got to his feet and rubbed his back as he then looked around, but all he could see was more cement and various ways that led to who knew where or what. He got out his communicator, but just as he was about to make a call to the others he noticed that he was only picking up static. He was in a random place within the underground lair with a horde of villains on the loose and no way of knowing how to get out or where the other Titans may be.

"Great," he murmured to himself, "first they wanna come check on everything here in great, old Paris and now we get trapped and separated in some underground dungeon." He snarled as he began to reexamine his surroundings, but with no other option he sighed. "Guess I better pick one," he said as he then picked out a tunnel and began walking.

It was very dark and he had no idea where he was actually going, but it beat sitting there helplessly when the others could be in danger.

"So much thinking, Robin," an all-too familiar voice echoed to him. "Do you ever just stop and smell the roses?"

"Slade?" Robin stopped in his tracks and asked aloud with a tone that actually sounded a little shocked.

"I'm flattered that you still remember me, my dear boy," Slade continued.

"What do you want?"

"I can honestly say that I don't want anything from you, Robin. Not this time at least,"

"Where are you?"

"In your mind, remember?"

[ **scene break** ]

Meanwhile, in other parts of the tunnels, the other Titans had also begun making their way through similar corridors. Starfire walked with caution as she used her starbolts to give her a faint amount of light.

"Oh, I do hope the others are having the better luck than I am," she continued on.

"Hello, sister dear," the voice of Starfire's older sister, Blackfire, caught her off guard causing her to turn swiftly and shoot a starbolt. "Why so uptight?" The voice asked.

"Blackfire?"

"Were you expecting someone else? Like Robin, perhaps?" The voice teased.

"Where are you? Show yourself!"

"I would if I could, sister dear, but as it just so happens I'm nowhere to been seen. I'm coming to you straight from your mind!"

[ **scene break** ]

"Great idea, Raven," Raven said to herself. "Drag everyone here and then get picked off by a revived Brotherhood of Evil." She said as she continued walking.

As she walked, however, she noticed that the corridor she was in began getting hotter and hotter.

"Did someone turn on the furnace?" She quipped aloud.

Then she began to see a faint glow coming from up ahead. "Hello?" She asked aloud with her guard up. "Is anyone there?" She asked once more as the faint sounds of whispers began to circle her. "Show yourself!" She demanded and in an instant the walls around her disappeared as did the floor and the ceiling.

She looked down and could see a massive river of lava flowing just beneath her. She looked around in horror trying to figure out what was going on, but nothing was coming to her mind, she was just there in shock.

"It has been a while, daughter," the powerful voice of her father, Trigon, boomed from behind her.

She turned slowly with a dropped jaw to see her towering father approach her through the river of lava.

"No," was all she could mumble.

"Yes," he began to laugh wickedly.

[ **scene break** ]

Beast Boy walked the corridor as a bloodhound. He was sniffing his way through the tunnel, but then morphed back into his human form to take a break.

"Forget this! I'd much rather be sprawled out on the couch right about now!" He whined as he then put his head between his knees.

"Beast Boy," a soft voice called to him.

He looked up, but saw no one there. "Um, hello?"

"Beast Boy," it called to him again, but this time it sounded very close.

He got to his feet and began walking more until he rounded a corner and saw where the voice was coming from.

"Beast Boy!" Terra called to him as she ran to him and hugged him around his neck

"Terra?" He began feeling so many emotions at once that he really didn't know how to react. "T-Terra? Is it really you?" He asked as he pulled away a little so that he could see her face.

"It is, Beast Boy," she smiled with tears in her eyes, "it's me!" She almost began crying as they embraced once more.

[ **scene break** ]

"Man, when I get out of here I'm never leaving the tower again!" Cyborg shouted as he walked through the tunnel.

"Halt!" He heard a woman's voice shout to him. "Who goes there?"

"Um, Cyborg?" He said with little knowledge of where the voice was actually coming from, but he was sure it had to have been from in front of him.

"Can it be?" The voice asked aloud as the woman stepped from the shadows and into the beam of Cyborg's light.

His eyes widened and his jaw-dropped as he realized who the woman was, "Sarasim?"

"Yes," she too was just as shocked.

"But...but how? When? What are you doing here?" He said as he approached her.

"I do not know. I thought it a trick of the Witch, but perhaps I was sent here for a reason?"

"What reason is that?"

"Perhaps I was sent here to find you,"

[ **scene break** ]

"Robin, why do you keep looking for a reason to fight me? Haven't we passed that point of playing cat and mouth with one another?"

"Never," Robin said as he continued on. "You've done too much against me and my friends and a simple 'helping hand' won't get you off the hook."

"So what, is it going to be your life long mission to chase shadows everywhere you go?" He asked which in turn made Robin stop.

"I will find you, Slade, and I will stop you."

"Stop me from what, dear boy? I haven't done anything to arouse your interest back in me,"

"You may haven't, but Ravager has. Obviously there's a connection and I will figure out what it is,"

"Even if it takes forever?"

"Even if it takes forever," Robin repeated.

"And what of your friends?" Slade asked.

"What of them?"

"What will become of them when you start growing more and begin your witch hunt for me once more? Surely you don't expect them to band with you for such a long time."

"Maybe they will,"

"With myself aside, Robin, you don't expect the Teen Titans to last forever, do you?"

"Maybe I do, what does it matter? We're a team, we're heroes, it's our job."

"Perhaps, but what happens when the others figure that this 'job' is no longer theirs for the doing, but a much younger generation...what then?"

Robin stopped in his tracks once more.

[ **scene break** ]

"I do not understand what it is that you desire from me, sister." Starfire said as she continued walking through the dark tunnel.

"It's simple really, I want my revenge. I want my own justice," the voice said.

"You do not deserve justice, and revenge is nothing you should hold against me as I have already forgiven you,"

"Well once I finish you off then maybe I will forgive you for all that you've done to me," she paused. "And who knows, maybe with you out of the picture Robin will be able to move on to better things," the voice said.

"He would do no such thing," Starfire said as she got upset.

"Awe, did I strike a nerve?"

"Robin would never find attraction to a creature so vile and evil," Starfire continued.

"Says you," the voice said. "I mean it's been how long since you've been on the team and he's done nothing to indicate that he's even attracted to you." The voice said as Starfire stopped in her tracks.

"Earth boys have a difficult time expressing their emotions," Starfire noted, "especially Robin."

"They may have difficulty, but they would've still done it by now. Face it, Starfire, Robin doesn't look at you the same way you look at him, and one day when you realize that you'll be able to move on with your pathetic life...and I'll be there waiting for you."

[ **scene break** ]

"How did you survive?" Raven asked as she looked to her father.

"You cannot destroy me, Raven. I did not get to where I am by bowing down to the likes of you," he answered.

"This isn't real, this isn't happening,"

"It's very real my daughter, and though you have broken free of my grip for now, I will always be able to find you,"

"But why? Why do you still want me? I didn't fulfill my purpose for you, I shouldn't be of any value."

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to, child." He said. "If you truly believed in that then you wouldn't continue to waste your time trying to keep your emotions, your powers, suppressed." She was quiet because she knew he was right. "You knew all along that I was still alive, regaining my strength that you and your friends drained me of, and you knew that one day I'd come back for you, but now that I have you refuse to believe any of it,"

"Please, just go away,"

"You know that cannot nor will it happen. I am your father, I am you and you are me...we are one. And the sooner you realize that the better."

"What do you mean?"

"Come now, child, do you think that you could possibly remain friends with these 'Titans'? Do you think they could possibly accept you for all that you are?"

"But they have,"

"Now, but what happens when you grow and mature and your powers do the same? You'll scare them away. You're bound to do something that will forever separate them from you, and you know this as well."

"But...they're my friends,"

"Friends or teammates?"

[ **scene  break** ]

"How did you even get here?" Beast Boy asked Terra as they continued to walk the tunnels together.

"I had heard that this was where your last battle took place, so I came looking for you, or maybe something that would lead me to you...or you to me,"

"You could've tried the tower,"

"I know, but this sounded like a good idea at the time," she said, "until I got trapped in here. But now you guys are here, so we're bound to get out."

"How'd you know I was with the others?"

"Well I just assumed," she stammered, "unless you aren't,"

"No, the others are here too," he confirmed.

"Great," she started. "Beast Boy, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Terra,"

"When we get out of here, would you want to go traveling with me?"

This stopped him in his tracks. "What?"

"I know it's crazy, but what do you say?" She asked with an eager smile.

"Terra...you know I'd love to," he paused.

"But?" Her smile began to fade.

"But I have a duty to the Titans, you know that. They need me, Terra,"

"But I need you too," she said. "How long do you think you can do this?"

"Do what?"

"This," she said, "be a Teen Titan. You're bound to grow up at some point; you won't be a 'teen' forever." She sounded hurt.

"Terra,"

"You know I'm right," she whispered with a solemn expression. "You can't do this forever, can you?"

[ **scene break** ]

"So how has the clan been since I left?" Cyborg asked.

"Good, but it has also seen its better days," Sarasim answered. "How are you dealing?"

"Same here actually," he laughed. "So how did you end up here?"

"I do not know. I was transported as I slept and arrived in this strange place. My life has been on the edge since my arrival as there I so much that I do not understand." She told him. "I found my way here by a miracle after almost being defeated by a group of men. But as I explored more of this place I was transported once more into these tunnels and have been here since."

"Sounds terrible,"

"It is, but I can find solace now that you have come to my aid."

"I'll be sure to get us out of here, Sarasim," he said, "and then I'll get you home."

She stopped walking, "Will you not journey back with me?"

"I can't, I'm needed here in my time."

"But we need you more," she pressed, "I need you." She said as she took his hand.

"I'm sorry," his hand shied away, "but I can't,"

"May I know the reason?"

"I'm part of my own clan here,"

"But you have a family waiting back in my time, Cyborg." She said.

"You don't understand,"

"I am trying, but I do not see why you must abandon us, me, once more. You gave us so much,"

"I'm needed here,"

"In this form?" She asked referring to his robotics. "If this truly is the future then how long can you last if the time will just continue to evolve? You will dwindle with the wind here, but you will not with us. You will grow and prosper with us,"

"And what would my clan do without me?"

"Are you telling me that you and your clan last for so long as you would last with us?"

He thought for a moment, "I'm not sure."

"Which is why you deserve to be certain, to be with us, Cyborg."

[ **scene break** ]

"This is getting me nowhere!" Robin shouted as he banged his fist against the wall.

"I'm surprised you've made it this far, to be frank," Slade continued.

"Enough!" Robin shouted. "I don't want to hear from you any longer! I will find my way out, I will find the others and we will make it out of this as a group! As a team! And we will continue doing just that until the day comes where we can rest easy about the world, but until that day Slade, we will forever be a team!" Robin shouted. "Now go away!"

"How touching, but you forget, Robin. The only way I can go away is if you do the one thing we both know you can't do, especially for me,"

"You're wrong Slade," Robin said, "because I forgive you."

"What?"

"I forgive you; I forgive all that you've done and I am officially giving my search up for you... You don't control me anymore. Not you, not Ravager-no one." He said.

"No! You can't do this!" Slade began to shriek.

"I just did," and with that Slade's voice began to disappear until Robin was alone. "Now to get out of this place," he said as he placed an exploding Bird-A-Rang on the ceiling and got out of the way as it detonated.

[ **scene break** ]

"What was that?" Starfire asked aloud.

"Nothing," Blackfire's voice tried to distract her.

"No, it was something, and it was a loud something," she said as she began using a beam of starbolt energy to blast the ceiling above her.

"What are you doing?" Blackfire demanded.

"I am going to find my friends," she answered. "And you are right, sister. Most Earth boys probably would have expressed such feelings, but Robin is not like most Earth boys," she smiled to herself as she continued to blast her way up.

"No!" Blackfire's voice wailed just before it was drowned out by Starfire.

[ **scene break** ]

"And now, my child," Trigon approached Raven, "it's time to come with me, with your father." He said as he extended a hand.

"Will my friends be alright without me?" She asked.

"Of course they will," he assured her. "Now hurry along," he seemed to be rushing her now.

But just as she began walking towards him, a blast of green energy appeared from the floor and acted as a wall between the two.

"What's going on?" Raven asked.

"Hurry, child!" Trigon demanded.

"Raven?" Starfire's voice called from the crack made in the floor.

"Starfire?"

"Friend! How glad I am to hear the sound of your voice!" She shrieked in delight. "I shall be up momentarily."

Raven felt a wave of reassurance come over her as she now turned to her father. "You tried to take me away," she said as she grew closer to him, her eyes, now four of them, glowing red.

"It is for your own good!"

"My good or yours?" She said as she hissed.

"You cannot defeat me!"

"I did once and I can do it again," she said. "Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!" She shouted as the tunnel encased with dark energy as it then closed in on Trigon.

"No!" He screamed as the dark energy crushed his image and returned things back to normal, just in time as Starfire blasted through the floor.

"Oh my friend!" She squealed as she gave Raven a big hug.

"Nice to see you too...Star," she huffed between breaths.

"Come! We must find the others and escape this place," she demanded as she then continued to blast the ceiling.

[ **scene break** ]

"But you don't understand, Terra,"

"No Beast Boy," she said as she backed away, "you don't understand. I need you, I needed you, and you abandoned me," she cried.

"Terra,"

"No!" She screamed at him. "Go back with your precious team," she growled angrily.

"Terra, please!"

"I said no!" She screamed once more as a green beam of light emitted from her.

Beast Boy then watched as she then vanished into thin air.

"Goodbye, Terra," he said as he put his head back down.

"Beast Boy?" He looked up and saw Starfire walking towards him with Raven close behind.

"Starfire! Raven!" He jumped up and ran over to them. "I've missed you guys so much!" He said as he then morphed into a bear and gave them both a tight hug.

Starfire giggled, "It is marvelous to see you too, friend,"

"Yeah, real great," Raven huffed. "Now please let me go,"

He continued hugging them as he morphed into his human form.

"Please," Starfire started, "have you happened upon Cyborg or Robin yet?"

"I haven't," he said.

[ **scene break** ]

"I understand your decision Cyborg, and I am happy to have seen you once more," Sarasim smiled as the two continued to walk.

"Thanks for that," he said as she then reached up to him and kissed his cheek.

He held onto it, as if he let go it would fall off, and then looked to her. They both then shared a smile before Starfire's voice made itself known from a little further down the tunnel.

"Cyborg, is that you?" Starfire called out.

"Starfire!" He ran closer to the voice until he came face-to-face with the other three. "Man am I glad to see you guys!" He said as he hugged them with Raven seemingly taking the brunt of it and huffing between gasps. "I have someone I want you to meet," he said excitedly as he turned around, but when he turned back to Sarasim she was gone.

"Who are you going to introduce us to?" Starfire asked after his slight pause.

"No one," he smiled as he held his cheek once more. "It's nothing."

[ **scene break** ]

"I do hope Robin is safe," Starfire said as the four of them were finally able to get to the surface after blasting their way to the top.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" He said with a smirk as he walked up to them.

"Robin!" Starfire cried as she rushed over to him with a great hug. "I am glad you are unharmed!" She said as she continued to hug him.

"Thanks...Star," he gasped.

"How did you get out?" Beast Boy asked.

"Blasted the ceiling until I was able to find my way out,"

"Why does everyone blast up?" Beast Boy asked once more.

"Well if you fall down then the obvious answer is to go up," Raven told him.

"Oh, right,"

"Well it's good that we're all OK, but what are we gonna do about the missing villains?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes, we must begin our search at once,"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Robin said as he motioned for the others to turn around.

There before them, on the shelves in which they last left them, were the frozen members of the Brotherhood of Evil.

"But how?" Starfire asked.

"My guess is that we tripped some kind of trap that made it so we would see that they were gone and maybe that was supposed to get us to leave, but when we didn't we fell through the holes in the floor."

"Who would set up something like that?" Raven asked.

"I'm thinking the Brain," Robin answered. "He was probably going to use it as a trap for us when we were supposed to be the ones up there. That way if anyone came looking they wouldn't find us here."

"It really does think of everything," Beast Boy added.

"It may think of everything, but that doesn't mean it'll always work," Raven quipped.

"Well now that we know everything's fine here, can we go home?" Cyborg asked.

"I was just thinking that," Robin smirked. "Come on team, let's go home."

 


	9. Fatale

"Where is he?" The sound of a girl's voice was sent ringing through the barren alleyways.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" A small, elderly Italian man said in his thick accent. In a swift motion the girl pinned the man against a brick wall and pushed down on his chest.

"I'm not gonna ask you again," she whispered through gritted teeth. "I know that coward of a man is hiding out here, and I know you know something, so talk!"

"I don't know anything, I swear!" She began pushing harder. "Alright! Alright!" He gave in. Her knuckles eased up on him. "I don't know where _he_ is, but I know that his goons sometimes hang out at a bar downtown, the Shadow Man I think it's called, but that is all I know, honest!"

Her eyes glared at him as if trying to see into his mind to tell if he knew anymore.

"Go," she said in disgust as she dropped him to the ground. "I don't ever wanna see your face around here again!" She said as she then disappeared into the shadows leaving only the half-beaten old man in the alley.

[ **scene break** ]

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Cyborg and Beast Boy shouted in unison as their hands both then changed from balled up fists to appear flat and paper-like.

"That's the third time, Cyborg!" Beast Boy complained. "Why can't you just choose rock already?"

"Why can't _you_ just choose rock already? Why are we even playing this dumb game? It's your turn to do the dishes man, says so here on the list!" Cyborg shouted back as he then pulled off a piece of paper that was tacked to the refrigerator.

"Hey, lemme see that!" Beast Boy demanded as he snatched the paper from Cyborg. He looked over it once, then twice, then a third time until he quickly morphed into a green dog and began ripping the list to pieces.

"What are you doing, man?" Cyborg shouted with a dropped jaw. "Stop that! Stop it!" He shouted as he began chasing Beast Boy through the living room. "It's your turn and you know it!" He continued.

Just then, Robin walked into the living room along with Starfire who cradled a seemingly ill-looking Silkie in her arms.

"And that is how Silkie ate all of my Tamaranean blugorf berries, even after I have told him that they are no good for him." She said as she stroked his stomach.

"I'm...sorry?" Robin responded.

"That's it!" Cyborg shouted as he then changed his arm into his sonic cannon and aimed for Beast Boy, who had now morphed into a green hummingbird.

Without thinking much, he fired at the first sign of green he saw, which just so happened to flutter in front of Robin and Starfire. Before they knew it, a beam of bright light hurtled their way and blasted them in seconds. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy looked to them with wide-eyes of horror.

"Uh, oops," Cyborg muttered.

The two were completely roasted and did not look pleased. Silkie then let out a loud belch and coughed up a stomach full of small, blue-colored berries with green dots on them. He hopped out of Starfire's arms and slinked merrily on his way.

"Yay!" Starfire's burning eyes suddenly cooled as she saw that Silkie was feeling better. "You have helped Silkie recovery from the upsetting in his stomach!" She squealed.

"Uh, guys? What's going on?" Robin asked as he shook his head in an effort to fix his sonic-blasted hair.

"Beast Boy here was supposed to do the dishes today, but he keeps trying to avoid doing it!" Cyborg shouted as he pointed a robotic finger at Beast Boy.

"You have no proof!"

"Because you _ate_ the evidence!"

"A dog ate my homework?" Beast Boy scoffed. "Come on Cy, you can do better than that, am I right guys?" He said as he strutted over to Robin and Starfire.

"Cyborg didn't say anything about a dog," Robin noted.

"Yeah, I didn't say nothing about no dog," Cyborg taunted victoriously.

Beast Boy moped as he figured there was nothing left to do. "Aww, come on, dudes! Cut a green guy a break every once in a while! I hate doing the dishes! It's all gross and slimy and...gross!"

"Someone's gotta do it, Beast Boy, and it looks like that someone is you this time," Robin said as he and Starfire made their way to the couch.

"Do not fret, friend, for next week it will be Robin's turn!" Starfire chimed in.

"Gee, thanks," Beast Boy frowned as he dragged himself over to the kitchen.

"You are most welcome!" She grinned and took a seat on the couch between Cyborg and Robin.

"Now to relax and enjoy the rest of the day!" Cyborg exclaimed as he sprawled himself out on the couch and grabbed the remote.

Just as he was about to turn the TV on, the alarm for trouble began ringing throughout the tower.

"Aww man!"

"Aww yes!" Beast Boy shouted. "Guess this means I can't do the dishes!"

"Yet," Robin added. "Has anyone seen Raven?"

"Yes, she left this morning to go to the library." Starfire told him.

"Robin to Raven, there's trouble in downtown! Meet us there!" Robin shouted into his locator. "Titans, go!"

[ **scene break** ]

"Where have you guys been?" Raven asked as she stood outside a local gas station.

"There was a flat on the T-car," Robin told her.

"A flat?" She asked sarcastically as she turned to Cyborg.

"A minor setback, but I took care of it," he grinned with pride.

"What were you doing at the library?"

"It's called reading, Robin. Maybe you'd like to try it someday?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He snapped, but before she could answer the sound of gunshots and people screaming were coming from inside. "Not now!" He shouted as then busted through the doors.

An robber was behind the counter trying to get into the register, but his attention shifted as soon as he saw the Titans make their way in. He then grabbed the cashier from the floor and began holding her hostage. There were other civilians in the store gathered towards the back. The sirens from the police could now be heard as they approached.

"Don't come any closer!" The robber demanded as he then turned the gun onto the young and frightened woman.

"Please, help me!" She shouted.

"Don't you Titans come any closer!" He demanded with the Titans frozen in their place. "You make one more move and I'll-" A black arrow broke through a nearby window and shot the gun out of the robber's hand in the blink of an eye.

He clenched his wrist as the girl was able to get away. She ran to the Titans, but as she did the robber ran out of the back entrance.

"Titans, stop him!" Robin demanded.

They were all just about to pounce on the man when they saw a young girl standing over him. She had him bound up in rope by the time they made it to the back exit. She was wearing a black, latex bodysuit with purple trim. The cape she wore resembled Robin's, but instead of yellow it was all black with more purple trim. She wore a pointed mask to hide her identity, but he blue eyes were striking and hard to miss.

"Thought I might lend a hand," she smiled at the team.

"Did you just-" Robin began.

"Yeah, I kind of did," she smiled. "Hope that's all right,"

"No, no. It's fine," Robin sounded as if he were in some kind of trance. "Nice work."

"Thanks," she said. "Um, well I guess I'm done here." She said as she turned to walk away.

"Wait," Robin stopped her. "Who are you?"

"I'm just passing by, I'm no one you need to worry about."

"Friend or enemy, I always like to have a name."

She smiled at him. "You can call me Huntress."

[ **scene break** ]

"So what are you doing here in Jump City?" Raven asked as they all sat around the table in the living room of Titans tower.

"I'm just passing through," her voice was soft, but firm at the same time.

"Oh really?" Beast Boy chimed in with a smoldering look on his face. "Are you on your way back to heaven by any chance?" As soon as he said that the others let out a groan.

"Don't you have some dishes to be washing?" Cyborg added.

"I don't think so," Beast Boy said without looking away from Huntress. A shock of dark energy then sent him flying from his seat.

"Thanks," Huntress whispered to Raven jokingly.

"Don't mention it."

"Where is it you are traveling to, if I may ask?" Starfire asked her.

"I'm on my way to the east,"

"What for?" Robin asked.

"Just a personal thing. I'm not really one to settle in one place for too long, I like to keep moving. So I'm just making my way through the states and lending a helping hand on my way." She smiled.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Beast Boy said from behind her, "I don't like staying in one place either. I'm a wild man, basically."

"Yeah, a wild man who sleeps with a stuffed monkey," Raven noted.

Huntress let out a small laugh, "Well it was nice meeting you all, but I really think I should be going." She said as she stood up.

"What's the rush?" Robin stood up with her.

"Yeah, we haven't even had a chance to grab a slice of pizza," Cyborg added.

"We should not keep our new friend from her journey," Starfire added.

"Well I guess I can stay for one slice of pizza," Huntress smiled as the boys then headed out with her.

"Don't let it get to you," Raven said as she walked up to a perplexed Starfire.

"Do not let what take hold of me?"

"Her. She's not staying,"

"How can you be sure?"

"She says she's just traveling, but she's here for something and as soon as she gets what she came for then she'll be on her way. I read her mind."

"Should we be worried?"

"Not as long as she finds what she needs soon enough,"

"What is it that she is searching for?"

"That I don't know, but whatever it is, it's pretty big."

[ **scene break** ]

"So where _haven't_ you been?" Robin asked as they all sat around a pizza.

"That's a hard one," she laughed. "I've actually been to so many places that I think I've lost count," she said as she looked down at her glass, "but I guess I'd say Italy..."

"Why Italy?" Raven asked as Beast Boy scarfed down a slice of pizza in the seat next to her.

"It's where my family's from. I went when I was a kid, but I don't really remember it. I've had the chance to go before, but for some reason I think I've been avoiding it."

"Why?" Robin asked.

"Don't know. Guess I'm just a better crime-fighter than I am a tourist." She laughed.

"So are you planning on going anytime soon?"

"Maybe after I've finally made it to the east."

"So," Beast Boy began with a mouth full of veggie pizza, "why do you go by Huntress?"

"It's a family thing,"

"Your parents were in the business, too?" Cyborg asked. "Something like that,"

"So where are they now?" Raven asked.

"Gone," her quick answer caused a moment of silence amongst the group. "They went off one day on a mission and just never came back."

"Where do you stay when you need to sleep or something?" Robin asked, breaking the silence.

"You sure are inquisitive," she smiled at him. "Wherever I can find a place,"

"Well, have you found a place for tonight?" He said in almost a blush.

"Are you offering?"

"Well, I...uh-"

"YES!" Beast Boy blurted out. "You can stay as long as you need! My room is big enough for two!"

Just as he said that, Starfire's glass smashed to pieces beneath her grip. "Oops, forgive me, I was not very thirsty anymore." She tried to play it off.

"Thanks, but I probably shouldn't,"

"Why not? It's just for one night," Robin added.

"Or so," Cyborg threw in.

She laughed again, "Well, I mean if you guys don't mind,"

"Not at all!" Beast Boy shouted. "Come on, let's go get you set up!" He said as he stood up.

"But we just got here," Cyborg reminded him as she, Beast Boy and Robin began walking away. "Yo! Wait up!" He called after them.

Starfire looked on after them.

"You OK?" Raven asked.

"I am fine..." she looked down. "Should we be worried about her now?" She asked as she looked over to Raven.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm not getting a bad vibe from her, but after the whole Terra incident I can't be too sure anymore."

[ **scene break** ]

It got dark quicker than usual it seemed. It was even darker in an abandoned warehouse in which the elderly man from the previous night was wandering around in. He came up to a large door that was guarded by two, buff men in black suits. He looked at them with an uneasy expression as they then stepped to the side and opened the doors for him to enter. The man walked into the dimly lit room with much caution and uneasiness.

"What news do you bring me, Guido?" A deep and rough voice asked from the shadows.

"She's here, in the city. She knows you're here too, and she's looking for you."

"What did you tell her?" The voice sounded flat and indifferent.

"I told her that I didn't know anything besides the fact that your guys hang out at the Shadow Man."

"So she's finally caught up to me, huh?" The voice asked out loud, but as if it were thinking out loud. "Well I guess it's time we make some noise."

"I have more news," the elderly man fidgeted. "She was spotted with the Titans,"

"Interesting. It just so happens that I've come across someone who has a keen interest on those kids... If I know the girl like I'm sure I do, then she's gonna be headed to the Shadow Man tonight, and if we're lucky, maybe we'll get to knock out two birds with one stone."

[ **scene break** ]

"You can have the couch for tonight," Robin said as he walked over to Huntress with a blanket and some pillows. "Don't worry, it's more comfortable than it looks."

"Thanks, I really do appreciate it,"

"Anytime,"

"You think you'll be able to spare sometime in the morning for some training?" Cyborg asked.

"I might be able to squeeze some training time in," she smiled.

"Great!" Cyborg and Robin said in unison.

"Well I should probably get some sleep now," she said while letting out a yawn. "I'm pretty tired from all the traveling I've been doing."

"Alright, well we'll see you in the morning," Robin said as he and Cyborg walked out of the living room.

"Robin?" Starfire called out to him as he walked into the hallway.

"Hey, Star. What's up?"

"Do you think it is safe to open our home to this girl? We do not know much about her or her intentions."

"Relax, Starfire. She's just passing through, like she said."

"Then why must we open our home to her? Why do we not allow her to just 'pass through'?"

"Starfire, this isn't like you. I'd think you'd be more than happy to help out a friend, just like we help each other out." He said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

She looked at him with confusion and hurt in her eyes. "Perhaps you are right. I would help you out in the same way...friend." She said as she turned and walked away.

Huntress sat down and relaxed on the couch. She tilted her head up and closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She reopened her eyes to see a green elephant staring back at her, causing her to let out a scream.

"Sorry, sorry!" Beast Boy apologized as she quickly pulled her crossbow out on him.

"Are you crazy?" She breathed heavily. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! I could have shot you with an arrow just now!"

"Sorry, girl. I was just coming to let you know that I'm just down the hallway if you need me." He said as winked at her. She looked confused as he slunk away and left the living room.

She regained control over her breathing once he left. She then dropped her crossbow onto the coffee table and plopped herself onto the couch once more.

[ **scene break** ]

After a night of tossing and turning Robin found himself up at the crack of dawn. He went down and practiced some in the training room. The others were still asleep by the time he was done and the sun was just starting to rise higher beyond the horizon. He walked into the living room of the tower to see if Huntress was awake yet, but when he walked into the room he saw that she was nowhere to be found; the covers were neatly folded on the coffee table with the pillow sitting on top. Without giving it much thought he decided to go to the roof of the tower.

"You know, for some reason I thought I might find you up here."

"Lucky guess?" She asked while looking at the rising sun.

"No," he said as he approached her, "this spot just seems like a good spot to come to when you've got something on your mind." He said as he sat next to her.

"Is that coming from personal experience?" She asked as she turned to him.

"You're not just passing through, are you?"

"Technically? Yes, but I'm not trying to get to the east."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for a man who's been spotted here. A man who needs to be brought to justice...and I'm the one to do it." Robin noticed her grip tightening around her crossbow.

"Why you?"

"It's personal,"

"Personal, huh? Then are you sure it's justice and not revenge?" Silence seemed to overcome her, as she loosened her grip as well. "Guess that answers that,"

"Guess so," she looked down. "But it's not gonna stop me from doing what I have to do, what I've trained myself to do since I was a young girl."

"And what is that?"

"Getting justice,"

There was silence for a moment between the two. They both starred out over the ocean and beyond the city, and perhaps even beyond the horizon.

"So when do you plan on carrying your plan out?"

"I know for a fact that some associates of his hang out at a bar downtown, that's where I'll be going tonight."

Robin slowly nodded his head in understanding. "Then I'm coming with you,"

"What?" She was taken by surprise when she heard this, as was Starfire who had just opened the door to the roof, unbeknownst to the two. "You can't, it'll be too dangerous."

"How bad can it be?"

"Very bad. Besides, I don't want my cover to be blown,"

"So it'll just be the two of us then. Think of it as back-up."

She laughed a little. "And what about your girlfriend?"

"My girlfriend? You mean Starfire?" She nodded. "She's not my girlfriend," the moment Starfire heard this she immediately closed the door in sadness. "We're just good friends."

[ **scene break** ]

"Boo-yah!" Cyborg exclaimed just after he obliterated the last steel pump that guarded the finish line with a single blast from his sonic cannon. "I do believe that's a new course record," he taunted the others as he walked off the course.

"Dude! You totally messed up the course! This is why you should always go last!" Beast Boy huffed.

"Relax, BB, I come prepared." He smiled as the ground opened up underneath the course and the destroyed obstacles began getting replaced by newer ones.

"You wanna give it a try?" Robin offered Huntress. Starfire then scoffed causing the two to look at her with confused expressions.

"I better not-" Huntress began.

"I agree," Starfire chimed in. "The course may prove too difficult for one whose powers are not as efficient as the rest of ours."

"Starfire-" Robin objected.

"No, no, it's OK." Huntress said as she stepped towards Starfire. "Maybe I will give it a try, just to see if I can be as _efficient_ as the rest of you," she said with a grin as she then walked toward the new course.

"Starfire, what was all that about?" Robin asked.

"I was merely looking out for her safety. We do not want any harm to befall our new friend," she said the word as if it were dripping in venom.

"Let's lock and load, boys!" Huntress called to the others as she readied herself. Raven looked nervously at Robin who then gave her the signal to begin the countdown.

"The course will begin after the countdown in: 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1. Begin." The computer instructed and almost immediately it looked like Huntress had been crushed by flying boulders, but once the smoke cleared it became visible that there was no need to worry.

She dodged the steel-like hammers that would have crushed her if not for her unusually increased agility. Next came guns that popped from out of the ground and were attached to rocks. She glided through the obstacle by using her amazingly quick reflexes to shoot arrows back at the guns and destroy them before endangering her. She could hear the other Titans cheering, all except Starfire and Raven, of course. She sprinted the whole way through the obstacle and was approaching the finish line just as the steel pump readied for her. With only three arrows she was able to disarm the pump before it even reached her. Within minutes she had completed the obstacle course all while setting a new record, but just as the others were getting ready to go over and congratulate her, a gigantic hand made of rocks sprung from the ground. Taken by surprised, it was able to quickly grab Huntress and began squeezing her. If it not had been for Robin's quick exploding Birdarang, then it was likely for her to have met her untimely fate right then and there. They all rushed to her side to make sure she was alright.

"I'm fine, really," she dusted herself off as she got to her feet.

"I don't understand," Cyborg said, "that part is only activated by remotely pushing the activation button." They all then turned to Raven, who controls the panel.

"Don't look at me," she said as their gaze then drifted to the only Titan left standing behind the control panel.

"Oops," Starfire looked just as shocked as the rest of them.

[ **scene break** ]

"That was really dangerous, Star," Robin scolded her.

"It was an accident, Robin," her voice was almost a whisper. "I did not mean to endanger Huntress."

"Well luckily no one was hurt,"

"Robin?" She asked, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to..." she paused.

"Would I like to what?"

"Would you like to go see 'the movies' tonight?"

"Oh, um...I'd love to, Star," he hesitated.

"Really?" Her voice was optimistic as she looked up to him. "Oh, it will be most excellent! Just you and me and-"

"But I can't," he said causing her to return to her glum state.

"Oh,"

"I had already promised Huntress I'd help her out with something."

"Oh." She said as she stood up in a huff. "Well I hope the two of you have fun with one another tonight." She finished as she then walked off.

[ **scene break** ]

Night had begun to settle across the city as the day dragged on. Robin and Huntress spent most of their time thinking of a plan of action, while Starfire spent most of her time in her room staring at her ceiling and wondering what the two would be doing. Robin had made it clear to the others that it was something he and Huntress would be handling, but if things got out of hand he would give them a call. The two had slipped out once it was dark enough.

The wind blew with a light breeze. The two young heroes made their way to downtown on foot to avoid any detection.

"So are you ever gonna tell me why we're going after this guy? Besides it being a personal thing and all?"

"Nope." She answered him as they continued jumping from roof to roof on their trek to the main streets of downtown Jump City.

Meanwhile, back at the tower. Beast Boy and Cyborg occupied themselves with hours of video games while Raven relaxed with a book. Starfire had decided to make an appearance and soon joined the others in the main living room. She looked around for Robin and Huntress, but mostly for Robin. She knew they would be going out, but she didn't know when they would be leaving.

"Please," she started as she walked up to Beast Boy and Cyborg, "do either of you know the whereabouts of Robin or Huntress?"

"Nope,"

"Haven't seen 'em," Cyborg answered without taking his eyes off the gigantic screen.

She then walked over to Raven who sipped tea from a mug at the table. "Pardon me, Raven, but do you-"

"Robin said they were doing something that they could handle." She interrupted Starfire. "If he needs us...if he needs you, then he'll call. Just relax, Starfire."

She fell into one of the chairs with a drawn-out exhale. "I cannot relax, even though I probably should. Robin is my friend and I do not feel comfortable leaving him with no assistance."

"He's in good hands, Robin can handle himself."

"So say that so easily, even though you have experienced such a nightmare." They both looked to one another. "Terra."

Raven set her book down. "Starfire, that was a different story. I got a bad feeling from Terra, I knew something was wrong, but I'm not getting that feeling with Huntress...I trust her."

"Well forgive me, but I do have that feeling, and even though she may not be evil, I still refuse to leave Robin."

Raven looked at the clearly miserable Starfire and sighed. "They're going to a bar called the Shadow Man. It's downtown, don't let them see you or they may get upset." She told her.

"Oh, thank you!" She exclaimed with joy as she gave Raven a quick, tight hug and then flew off.

"I should really learn to keep secrets better," Raven said to herself. She watched the door for a few seconds before nonchalantly getting back to her book.

[ **scene break** ]

Starfire flew overhead towards the downtown area. Although she was not familiar with her destination she did have a name of the place and that was all that she needed.

She stopped in a kind of old, run-down looking building with a sign that read "The Shadow Man" on the outside in red neon lights. She looked around before deciding to go into the bar thinking she would find Robin and Huntress there, but little did she know they were still seconds behind her. Just after she disappeared through the entrance, Robin and Huntress showed up on a building rooftop that was behind the bar.

"This is the place?" Robin asked.

"I would think so, unless there's another bar in this city by the name of the Shadow Man."

"I was just asking," he snapped. "I thought it would be a little more...more, I guess."

"Yeah, well it looks like this is what we got." She said as she seemed to be trying to see through the brick walls. "Come on," she whispered as she then descended down into the dark alleyway with Robin close behind.

[ **scene break** ]

Starfire wandered through the dimly lit bar as the patrons gave her looks of confusion and anger. She walked to the bar where the bartender watched her every move.

"Excuse me," she said as she made her way to the bar. "Perhaps you can help me? I am looking for my friends."

"Yeah?" The bartender asked with a seeping attitude. "They look anything like you, then I ain't seen 'em, kid."

"Oh. Well I was told they would be here,"

"I think I may be able to help you, young lady," a tall man said from behind her. He was very well built with muscles bulging out of his three-piece suit.

"Really?" She asked with glistening eyes. "Have you seen my friends?"

"Oh yes, I have in fact seen them. They told me to fetch you upon your arrival." He said through a tight-lipped smile. "Please, follow me," he said as he led her to a back room.

[ **scene break** ]

"Alright, I'll sneak a peek to see if the man who should be in there _is_ in there, and then I'll give you the signal." She told Robin as she began climbing a fire escape. "Do you remember the plan?"

"Remember it? I'm the one who came up with it."

"Just making sure, geez," she said as she hoisted herself to a good enough level.

"Do you see anything?" Robin asked Huntress as she peered in through a window.

"Well...I see people, but I can't tell if they're our target,"

" _Target_?" Robin asked himself out loud.

"Ugh, it's too dark to see anything!" She huffed as she tried to get a better view. "All I see are a bunch of figures, and..." she trailed off as she tried to make someone out. " _Starfire_?"

"Starfire?"

"I mean...yeah, yeah! She's in there! Why is _she_ in _there_?"

"Are you sure it's her?" His tone quickened as his pulse began to race.

"Well I may be new to town, but I'm pretty sure I can recognize Starfire of the Teen Titans," she scoffed.

"What are they doing to her?"

"They have her tied..." she trailed off once more.

"What? What is it?"

"He's in there, Angelo Ginardi,"

"Who?"

"The guy, Robin! The guy!" She exclaimed as she jumped down. "We have to get in there, now!"

"What's so bad about this man?"

"He's a killer, Robin! He will kill her to get to us! We have to get in there and get Starfire out!" She exclaimed as she kicked the door down.

"Wait! What about the plan?" He called after her.

"Huntress! Huntress!" He called as she made her way from room to room. "Helena!" She stopped in her tracks.

"What did you just call me?"

"Helena...that's your name, isn't it?"

"How did you find that out?" She snapped as she turned angrily to him.

"I do my research, no matter who you are,"

"There's no way you could have known that from 'research'."

"I know that and a lot more," he said as they were now face-to-face. "I know why you want to get justice on Angelo Lee Ginardi...and I know what he did to your family, and I'm sorry."

She turned away trying to hide her tears. "You don't know anything! You don't know!"

"This isn't the answer," he said as he tried to console her.

"It's the only thing I know," she cried.

"We have to stick to the plan," he said, but before she could respond a scream that sounded like Starfire came from a few doors away. "Starfire?"

"There is no plan!" She exclaimed as she then dashed towards the source of the sound.

"Helena!"

She stopped once more, "Call me that again, and the whole world will know _your_ name!" She snapped then disappeared into the darkness.

[ **scene break** ]

"Please! I do not understand what is going on! I am just looking for my-" Before she could finish, Huntress broke down the door. "Friends!"

"It's over, Angelo," she squeezed the name out through her clenched teeth. "I've hunted you for years, and now it's come to the end for you,"

The man who stood before Starfire let out a dark, hearty laugh as he then turned to the young heroine. "The end is in the near future for one of us, but I'm pleased to say that it's _you_ who will meet your end." His men then began to surround Huntress.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Robin snarled as he popped out from the darkness from behind Huntress. He looked to her, but she refused to make eye contact with anyone in the room besides the man standing just a few feet away from her. The man who was the black hole sucking in her life one star at a time.

His smirk faded once he saw Robin enter the room. "I think we can take them if we-" Before he could even finish she darted towards Angelo.

In the blink of an eye she was engaging him in a long-awaited battle royal. His men then advanced on Robin with their makeshift weapons of pipes and chains.

"It wasn't very smart to chase me all this way." Angelo smirked at her.

"Don't flatter yourself, I would've followed you to Dubai and back. I'm your shadow, Angelo Ginardi, just like you're my nightmares!" She exclaimed as she pulled out her crossbow and began shooting arrows at him.

He was much more agile than he appeared as he was able to dodge every one and make his way up to Huntress, grabbing her by the throat and flinging her across the room. She crashed into a pile of crates as Starfire watched on, helplessly. She had been working her chains, but it was taking longer than expected.

"That all you got?" Huntress taunted as she got to her feet.

Angelo rushed her, but she was just as quick as she side kicked him in his face, sending him flying into the cement wall. He staggered to his feet and wiped some blood from the side of his mouth.

"What's the matter, Don Ginardi? You can hire a hit on a young girl's family, but you can't take one? Huh?" She shouted.

"Shut your mouth! You don't know what you're talking about, Helena!"

"Don't you ever call me that, ever! You don't have the right!" She shouted with tears running down her face as they engaged each other once more.

"Starfire!" Robin rushed to her aid. "Are you alright?"

"I am unharmed," she said as he began removing the chains. "Should we help?" She asked as he finally freed her and they watched on as the young girl and her oppressor fought it out.

"No!" Huntress shouted before Robin could answer. "He's mine!"

Angelo began laughing even more. "You might want to stick around! She'll need someone here to help her to the hospital!" He snarled as he charged her. She tried to jump out of the way, but he was able to grab her cape at the last minute and fling her back against the wall.

She let out a grunt of pain as she sunk to the floor. "Just go!" She demanded. "I'll be fine!" She shooed them away. Robin wrapped his arms around Starfire and lead her to safety, but not before looking back and seeing Huntress fighting for her life.

"Oh come on, Helena," Angelo muttered as he staggered towards her. "Don't you wanna know the _real_ story about what was supposed to happen that fateful night?"

"What do you mean?" She asked as she leveraged against the wall to get to her feet.

"You were supposed to die along with your family, and your mother was supposed to survive." He explained.

"No," her eyes widened in disbelief. "No, you're lying!"

"Oh yeah, but you see there was a mix up and you ended up living...and your mother paid the unfortunate price that should have been paid by your life!"

"You're lying!" She said as she became more enraged and tackled Angelo and began delivering blow after blow as she remembered that night.

She was only a little girl and her family had just sat down for dinner. A sudden crash from the living room could be heard and her mother rushed her to a secret cupboard in the pantry as her father went to inspect the sound. That was the last time she saw them.

She was getting ready to deliver what could have been the final blow, but something caught hold of her hand. She looked up to see Robin and Starfire standing over her. She began sobbing into Robin's arms as the two titans knelt down to comfort her.

[ **scene break** ]

"Are you sure you want to do this? It's only been a few days since she's been with us," Cyborg whispered as he, Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy all gathered outside of the living room doors.

"She's proven herself in more than enough ways," Robin determined.

"I agree. I think it's a most wonderful idea to ask Huntress to join us." Starfire added.

"Then it's settled." Robin finished. "On the count of three: One...Two...Three!" He exclaimed as they all burst into the living room.

"Surprise!" They all shouted, but there was no one there.

Instead there was a stack of neatly folded blankets and a pillow sitting on top of the coffee table. There was also a note that read, _Thanks...for everything_.


	10. Seven Deadly Sons

_The Seven Sons shall come to reign, and usurp their father in his domain. Though their power grows within, nothing shall come to pass without the Original Sin._

The fire burned hellishly in the depths of what was once Trigon's dimension. As molten rock flowed all around him, he languished in his defeat against the Teen Titans and his daughter, Raven. He was in a deep, sleep-like state as his energy had been drained, thus rendering him virtually powerless.

"Do you all remember the plan?" A young, male voice asked out loud, but in a slight whisper as to not wake up the sleeping demon.

"Yes, for the hundredth time," another voice answered back in a rather annoyed tone.

"Don't make me regret including you, Jack." The first voice snarled.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with. The sooner we can lounge around, the better."

"No!" The first voice erupted, but tried to regain composure. "We are not going to 'lounge around' after this, or anytime soon for that matter. I've told you time and time again; after we deal with _him_ , andthen we must go off in search of our last brother."

There was momentary silence amongst the voices.

"Then can we lounge around?"

"Hush up! Just don't speak, I don't want to hear another word from you! Let's just get this over with before I leave you down here to rot with him!" The voice snapped.

As the mighty Trigon lay dormant, six figures emerged from the nearby shadows. First there was a young, African-American boy. He wore an oversized parka with the hood covering his face. The next figure was a tall and tan boy with a muscled chest and shoulder-length, pitch black hair. He wore a white muscle shirt underneath an unbuttoned red flannel. The figure that followed him was similar in build and appearance, except his hair was short and spiked and his skin was lighter. He wore a blue speed suit with a light blue zigzag going down the chest area as well as down his legs. The next was a scrawny, lanky, unshaven and unkept boy. His hair was long and shaggy and dangled in his face and he wore clothes with holes in them. An obese boy in baggy clothes then emerged after him followed by a decent looking young man who wore a dark green business suit.

They all approached the sleeping Trigon with caution and formed a semi-circle around him. The first boy, the one in the parka, placed his open palm onto the forehead of the slumbering giant. The Mark of Scath that had been inscribed on Trigon's forehead began to glow as he began to twitch and wake up. The boy stood back as the weak Trigon began to stagger to his feet.

"Who dares to awaken me in my slumber?" He bellowed as his voice carried on for what seemed like miles.

"It is I, Jared, your devoted follower and your devoted son." The boy said as he looked up and removed his hood revealing four, glowing red eyes. The others also bore similar eyes at this point.

Trigon let out a furious roar. "How dare you wake me, you insolent child! How did you find this place?"

"I am your son, I am _you_."

The enormous demon began to laugh. "Fool, you are one of many. I do not care for the monsters that I sire."

"Clearly," the boy in the speed suit quipped to the others.

"Please, father, I come here only as to present you with a gift."

"And what might a mortal like you be able to offer a god like me?"

"Life," Jared said calmly. "You were defeated at the hands of a girl and her friends, and we have come to give you the life force, the power, the energy that you need to extract your revenge against her and the entire world!"

Trigon became silent. "How can you grant such a wish? You are nothing more than a boy!"

"As I have said, father, I am you." Jared continued. "All we ask is that you provide us with the power to open the portal that will allow you to find the girl."

"Ha! You mortals never learn! Trying to come to me so that I may grant you my power?" He bellowed in anger once more.

"Please, Trigon. We only wish to serve you." He said as he then bowed along with the other boys.

Trigon thought for a moment before agreeing to give the boys what little power he had left so that they could open the portal.

"You shall open the portal and I will spare you all from my wrath," he said. A smirk then crossed Jared's face as he then looked up to his towering father.

"But of course," he said as he stepped back in line. "Give us your power and we will give you the world," he continued after he and the others took hands.

Trigon then summoned the rest of his powers and shot an immense fireball at the boys. They winced in pain as it began to surge and flow through them each.

"Can you feel the power, brothers?" Jared asked aloud.

"Woo-hoo!" The boy in the speed suit shouted.

"This is amazing!" The boy in the muscle shirt shouted as well.

Within moments the fireball ceased, but the boys could feel the awesome power flowing through their veins at that very second.

"Now, open the portal!" Trigon demanded.

"As you wish, father," Jared smiled devilishly. "Hexion, sina, borendium, portus!" He chanted and just as he said that a dark hole began to appear from behind Trigon.

"What is this?" Trigon asked once he saw that the portal that had been summoned was actually the portal to a destroyed dimension.

"I believe it's your portal. We have taken your powers and will conquer this world and all others in the name of pure evil!" He exclaimed.

"You dare betray me? You deceitful monstrosity!" He cursed him angrily as the portal began sucking him in. "You have proven yourselves as true offspring of evil, and I can only be humbled with your devout will." Trigon said before allowing himself to be sucked into the portal as it then closed and vanished.

"Was it just me, or did he seem _proud_ of us for betraying him?" The speed suit boy asked the others.

"What does it matter now, Jacob? We have what we've come for, now it's time to go off and find our brother. We must find the son of pride."

[ **scene break** ]

The sun had not yet risen on the coast of Jump City and the sky was still as dark as could be. As all the other titans slept, Raven winced and twitched in her bed as she dreamed of events that were purged of the world, but still haunted her dreams. She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at the tower that housed Titans East. It was still very dark as she made her way to their living room, not a soul in sight. She looked around and wondered why she was there and why it felt almost as if it was no dream at all. Then she heard the doors slide open from behind her as Aqualad walked in, but instead of greeting her as a friend all he seemed to see was an enemy.

"You again?" He gasped at the sight of her. "This is the last time we're ever gonna have to deal with you!" He shouted as he advanced on her.

"Aqualad, it's me! It's Raven!" She objected, but to no avail. Pipes burst from the walls and the water rushed towards him. "Don't make me have to hurt you!" She warned with her defenses raised.

"This'll teach you to mess with the Teen Titans!" He shouted as the water now rushed to Raven.

She could feel her body frozen with fear, but she didn't know why. She knew the words and knew how to defend herself, but her muscles weren't allowing her to move at all. Just as the tidal wave of water was close enough to overcome her, she was able to reconnect and deflect it. Just as the water was moved, however, Aqualad attacked and pinned her against the wall.

"Now I'm gonna finish you!" He sneered.

Raven could feel his hand around her neck as if it were really happening. As he tightened his grip she could feel her lungs gasping inside of her, begging for oxygen.

"Do it," a deep and familiar voice called to her, but Aqualad didn't seem to notice as he kept trying to choke her. "Do it, Raven." It egged her on.

"No!" She coughed up. "I won't kill him!"

"Then he will kill you," the voice continued. "Just three little words, Raven, and it'll all go away."

She struggled under the grip of Aqualad, and with her last ounces of breath she muttered, "Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!" Within the blink of an eye her dark energy surrounded everything but her, including Aqualad.

She fell to her knees and gasped and coughed for air.

"Finish him, or he will kill you!" The voice demanded.

Without anymore hesitation, Raven got to her feet, her eyes now glowing white, and held her hand out to Aqualad's chest.

"Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!" She called out again, and in a flurry of darkness Aqualad was reanimated and flung back through the doors that led to the living room.

She massaged her neck as she walked to the window that overlooked the bay. She smiled as the sun began to rise, but something was off.

"Well done, Raven. Well done." The voice congratulated her. "I must say that even I find your powers more than impressive. They're almost a testament to your father's." It began to chuckle.

She spun on her heels to see if there was someone behind her, but nothing. "I have no father! He's gone!" She shouted into the room.

"Oh, but is he really?" The voice asked. It was now coming from directly behind her.

She slowly turned to see if what she was seeing was real. Beyond the window was no glistening ocean under the rising rays of the sun, but an ocean of lava underneath a blood red sky.

"No!" She exclaimed as the voice of Trigon began laughing.

In a fit of terror she jumped up and found herself still in bed. Her breathing was deep and heavy. She looked out the window and saw a rising sun over a sparkling blue ocean. She sighed and realized that it was all just a terrible nightmare.

[ **scene break** ]

She walked into the living room as the breakfast-y smell of eggs and waffles hit her nose. She saw Cyborg flipping the waffles while Robin prepared the eggs and Starfire set the table, she even noticed that there was a spot made for Silkie.

"C'mon, dude! You know I only eat my kind of waffles! I can't eat your stuff!" Beast Boy pestered as he tried to get his tofu waffles onto the stove.

"For the last time, you ain't getting those nasty tofu waffle things near this stove until I'm done making the _real_ food!"

"Tofu waffles are 'real food'!" Beast Boy argued. "Can you make those eggs smell a little less like eggs, Robin?" He demanded.

"Nope." Robin answered as he then held out a cooked egg to Beast Boy on the spatula. Beast Boy looked like he was going to be sick.

"What's going on?" Raven asked Starfire as she hovered from the fridge with a pitcher of orange juice.

"Do not worry, friend. We are just coming together to enjoy the company of one another over 'the breakfast'." She said with a smile.

"The waffles are finished!" Cyborg exclaimed. "Who's hungry?" He sported a grin from ear to ear as he made his way to the table with a gigantic stack of waffles.

"Eggs are done, too!" Robin announced as he followed Cyborg.

They all sat down at the table as Beast Boy began cooking his tofu waffles. Cyborg and Robin were just about to dig in when Starfire stopped them.

"Since we are going to be enjoying the company of each other, I find it only fitting that we wait on Beast Boy." They both let out a groan along with Silkie who seemed ready to eat the waffle on his plate.

"It would've been much quicker if Cyborg would have let me used the stove earlier." He teased.

They waited for a good while until Beast Boy finally announced his waffles were finished. He walked to the table with his plate in hand, but just as they were all about to start eating a message arrived.

"Just get it when we're done eating," Cyborg begged.

"Can't, it's urgent," Robin objected as he walked to the front control panel. "It's a message from Titans East." He announced. The mentioning of them made Raven uncomfortable as she remembered her dream.

"Titans," Robin began reading the message, "we are sending this message for Raven." The others turned to her. "We are requesting her help here at the tower. Aqualad has been seriously injured and we believe that we are dealing with an enemy that we now feel the Titans West would have more experience with."

"What kind of enemy would only we have experience with?" Starfire asked.

"Please, if you can, fly out to our tower as soon as possible. Bumblebee." Robin finished.

"Whoa," Beast Boy said as he shoveled a piece of tofu waffle into his mouth. "Sounds bad."

"I know," Cyborg added with a mouthful as well, "just terrible."

"What are we to do, Robin?" Starfire asked.

"Well, they say they really need Raven, but I think we should all go." He decided as he walked back to the table.

"Do you think it's really necessary?" Raven asked, garnering confused looks from everyone. "I mean, what makes them think I, or any of us, can actually help them? Maybe it's just Slade and they really only need you." She said as she sunk into her seat.

"If they just needed me then they would have said me, but they said you." He pointed out. "We're going, so Cyborg get the T-Ship ready."

"I'm on it!" He said as he continued to eat and walked away with a plateful of eggs and waffles.

As the others walked away to get ready, Raven put her head down on the table. A quick flash of her throwing Aqualad in her dream forced her to jolt up. She looked around to make sure no one was there to see as she then left the table as well. With no one in the room any longer, Silkie flopped onto the table and began devouring the rest of the food.

[ **scene break** ]

The team made their way to Titans East with Raven still unsure about what was going on. In her mind she knew that Trigon was gone, he had to be, but that didn't stop her from feeling his presence. Even though she kept a kind of connection to him just to monitor him she knew that was not what she was feeling as their connection had also been interrupted last night.

"We're here," Robin announced as they approached the tower.

Just then Raven felt a sharp chill run down her spine. It was like they had just crossed over into a whole other world, and that wasn't a good sign. She felt something powerful and definitely something of the supernatural nature.

"Are you certain she is the one, Jared?" The voice that belonged to the boy in the speed suit asked as they watched the Titans arrive.

"I'm certain, Jacob."

"Why didn't we have the others come with us?" The boy in the muscle shirt asked as he looked on with boredom.

"Because, Jesse, they would have gotten in the way when all that's need is the three of us." Jared explained.

"And what if the plan fails? How will we reach the others?"

"The others are no longer needed...at all." Jared said as he turned away.

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked. "I thought we needed all their powers to help with the plan?"

"We do need their powers, but we do not need them." Jared said as he then produced a small, black box from inside of his parka. "I took their powers. They now belong to us and once we get the girl to show us the whereabouts of Pride, then we'll have all seven."

"And what of the other three? Were they not able to keep hold of Trigon's powers?" Jacob asked.

"They were, but I took that as well. I'll give it to the seventh once we find him. The others have been rendered powerless and their memories have been wiped clean. They know nothing." He smirked as he tucked the box back into the parka.

"Can you do that?" Jacob asked.

Jared turned to him with the smirk still plastered across his lips. "Never underestimate the power of Wrath."

[ **scene break** ]

"I found him this morning," Bumblebee said as she led Robin and the others to the infirmary-like room where an unconscious Aqualad was being kept.

"And you have no leads as to who could have done this?" Robin asked.

"None. We had it pretty easy since the brawl with the Brotherhood." She explained. "Although we have been experiencing some weird things happening."

"Like what?"

"It started a little over a week ago. We all saw...well, shadows."

"Shadows?" Beast Boy asked. "Like the things that trail behind you when you walk?" His sarcasm was made clear.

"No," she sassed back. "They're like figures, but it's usually out of the corner of your eye kind of thing. Anyway, we didn't think anything of it, until things became hostile." She said as they then continued back to the living room where the other Titans East members were. "We all kind of started finding reasons to get at each other's throat."

"Well you guys do work and live together, happens to us all the time." Cyborg said. "Like this morning when I wouldn't let BB put his fake waffles next to my real ones."

"For the last time, tofu is not fake!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Could've fooled me," Cyborg countered.

"Trust me, I know what you mean, Sparky." She said. "But this wasn't like that. They were like intervals. We'd be fighting one second then making up the next. That's the way it's been."

"I still don't see why you need us or Raven." Robin said with a flat tone.

"A few days ago Más y Menos had a woman come in and 'bless' the whole place." Speedy said from behind them at the table. "She ran out of here screaming something in Spanish, something they translated as 'Scath'." He finished.

"Trigon," Robin gritted his teeth. The mentioning of the name turned Raven's stomach upside down.

"Right," Bumblebee continued, "so we did our research and we found out that you guys have had the pleasure of meeting the demon monster."

"Yes, but even so we vanquished the Trigon, or at least Raven did." Starfire answered them as they all turned to Raven.

"You know anything about this?" Robin asked.

"Well, I..." she trailed off, but before she could finish the lights began to flicker just before going out.

"Um, OK," Cyborg muttered as he flicked on his shoulder light.

"What's going on?" Robin asked.

"It's probably just the power. It's been a while since we retooled the generator," Bumblebee answered.

"It better be just the generator and not another one of your freaky house of horrors!" Beast Boy snapped at Raven.

"It isn't me,"

"Look, all we need to do is go fix up the generator." Cyborg pointed out. "The backups should be going on any minute anyway."

"Great. Cyborg you take Bumblebee with you to get to the generator. Starfire and I will stay here with Speedy and Más y Menos while Raven goes with Beast Boy to check on Aqualad. Raven is the only one who can take care of him if the generators take too long." Robin instructed.

[ **scene break** ]

"So do you have any idea what's going on?" Beast Boy asked Raven as the two made their way down dark corridors to get to Aqualad.

"Not a clue."

"Not even about what Speedy said about Trigon?"

"He didn't say Trigon, he said Scath."

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes."

"Well, are you gonna tell me?"

"Is it gonna make you stop talking?"

"Maybe, but I'm not making any promises."

She was silent for a moment. "Scath is not a person or an object, it's a mark. It's given to those who have something to do with Trigon's return or when someone tries to summon him." She explained. "The woman who felt the presence of it didn't feel the presence of Trigon, but of someone who bears the mark."

Beast Boy let this all soak in. "So someone here is gonna act as Trigon's portal or something?"

"I don't know." Her serious tone wavered as she thought about it.

[ **scene break** ]

"You guys have lived in this building for how long? And you still don't know the way to your own generator?" Cyborg asked Bumblebee as they made their way deeper and deeper into the tower.

"Didn't I just say that we haven't messed with it since?" She asked him. "Besides, you built this place!"

"I may have _fixed it up_ , but the power system was installed beforehand, so I don't know where it is at all."

"Some mechanic," she scoffed. "And why haven't the backups kicked in yet?"

"You tell me!"

"How am I supposed to know?" She shouted. "I never dealt with any kind of power system or generator!"

"That doesn't mean you can't familiarize yourself with things! If anything happens to Aqualad then it'll be your fault as a leader!" The sudden outburst made Bumblebee stop in her tracks.

"That was a low blow, Sparky," she responded as her stingers began to spark up.

[ **scene break** ]

"I wonder what could be taking our friends so long," Starfire said aloud.

"Tal vez se hayan perdido," Menos said as he and Más swooned over Starfire.

"Umm," she looked confused as she tried to make out what the two were doing.

"He says that they might be taking so long because they probably got lost," Speedy translated. Both Robin and Starfire give him odd looks. "What? You live with these guys long enough and you find yourself understanding every word." He said as he continued to polish his bow.

"Sí, cada palabra," Más y Menos repeated in unison.

"Maybe we should go look for Cyborg and Bumblebee," Robin suggested to Starfire.

"I agree,"

"Speedy, you stay here with Más y Menos while Starfire and I try to find Cyborg and Bumblebee and get this place up and running."

"Gotcha, 'cap," he said unenthusiastically as he then saluted Robin, and with that he and Starfire went on their way.

[ **scene break** ]

"What about Speedy? He seems like he could be a double agent," Beast Boy said as he and Raven continued to the infirmary.

"How I envy Aqualad right about now," Raven groaned. "I wonder what's taking the generators so long," she thought out loud.

The two then came up to the window that looked into the room where Aqualad was, but when they peered in they saw nothing and no one; Aqualad was gone.

"Where is he?" Raven seemed to panic as they both rushed into the room.

"Relax, Raven. He probably just woke up and went to find us after the power went out." Beast Boy did his best to calm her.

" _You_ relax!" She snapped at him. "You're relaxed enough as it is!" She began to advance on him furiously.

"Raven, OK! Calm down!"

"You wanna see calm? I _am_ calm, Beast Boy! Why don't you do something different for once and take things seriously?"

"I would, but it seems like you do that enough for everyone as it is!" He fired back.

"If I didn't then we'd probably all end up like you! Not caring and not listening and never taking responsibility for anything! Don't you get it? You are no good!" She said as her powers began to surround her in a field of dark energy.

At that moment Beast Boy morphed into a gorilla and banged his chest as they both charged each other at full speed.

[ **scene break** ]

"I hope everything is fine with Aqualad," Robin said out loud as he and Starfire continued their search for Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"I agree, but I know our friends are doing everything they can to keep him safe." Starfire added with a slight pause. "Robin?" Her voice was soft.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever think of the possibility that you could ever consider me more than just your good friend?" Her question stopped him in his tracks and she could tell that she may not like what he had to say.

"Well, you know, Star. I, uh..."

"Yes?"

"I've always wanted to tell you this, and I guess now is as good as I can get, but..."

"Yes?" She could feel herself becoming more and more eager.

"I care about you a lot," he cleared his throat. "I mean more than a lot... I love you, Starfire."

[ **scene break** ]

Yellow and blue beams of light shot through the air as Bumblebee and Cyborg dueled it out.

"Take it back!" She demanded of him as she continued shooting beams from her stingers at him.

"No! You're the team leader, you should be on top of things!" He shouted and fired back as he hid around the corner to avoid her attacks.

However, her stinger beams had ceased and he looked back with caution, but she wasn't there. He turned back around only to see her morph from microscopic size to full size and deliver a blowing kick to his face.

[ **scene break** ]

"You never think about anyone but yourself!" Raven declared as she hurled a crate at the green T-Rex that stood before her.

It crumbled to pieces with a quick swing of its large tail. "Me? What about you? Always locked up in your creepy room! You lock everyone out! Even me!"

"What do you mean? You always make me the brunt of your jokes! You always leave me out of things!" She continued.

"Leave you out of things? You leave yourself out of things! You never wanna have fun with us or anything! I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't even _like_ any of us!"

Her eyes flared as did her powers. "Well you're wrong! I do like you! You're just too distracted to ever notice anything! I don't let you in because you can't understand the things you'd see!"

"How do you know if you never let me at least try to understand?"

She became quiet for a moment as her powers settled. "Because you will never be as good as I need you to be,"

It was clear that he had become hurt. He looked away as he tried to hold his tears back, but then turned to her once more with anger in his eyes. "So I'm not good enough, huh? Well maybe I'm not, but that doesn't mean that I'll stop trying!" He morphed back into his T-Rex form, and with a swish of his tail sent a table zooming right towards her.

[ **scene break** ]

"Uno!" Más shouted as he threw down his last card and high-fived Menos.

"I hate this game," Speedy groaned.

Just then the floor before them began to crack as a gigantic beam of blue light shot through it. Bumblebee was then sent flying straight through it and crashed against the ceiling.

"Come on, insect girl!" Cyborg shouted as he jumped through the hole in the floor. "Is that all you got?"

At that moment Starfire and Robin walked into the room hand-in-hand.

"No!" Más y Menos cried together at the sight.

"Friends!" Starfire said as she saw Cyborg and Bumblebee. "Was your mission to restore the power a success?" The both fired a beam of yellow and blue energy at her, causing Robin to quickly pull her to the side and out of harm's way. "Perhaps that is a no?"

"Guys!" Robin called to them as they continued to engage each other. "What's going on?" Just then a gigantic, green dinosaur was sent crashing into the room, breaking down the doors and forcing Robin to maneuver out of the way.

"You have no consideration for anyone else's feelings!" Raven continued firing bolts of dark energy at him.

"You have no consideration for anyone, period!" Beast Boy shouted back as he morphed from dinosaur to hummingbird.

"Everyone!" Robin tried to get them all to stop fighting each other. "Stop fighting!" He said just as he dodged a beam from Bumblebee's stinger.

"ENOUGH!" Starfire shouted getting everyone to finally calm down.

"Uh, thanks, Star," Robin said a little surprised. He was just about to begin talking when the deep sound of a laugh could be heard from within the room

"What's that?" Speedy asked aloud.

"El poltergeist," Menos suggested.

"Look at all the little children play, Jared." The voice that belonged to Jesse snickered.

Raven fell to her knees in agony. "Raven? What's wrong?" Beast Boy rushed to her side.

"The Seven Sons shall come to reign, and usurp their father in his domain." She began as her eyes started glowing red. "Though their power grows within, nothing shall come to pass without the Original Sin."

"What's she talking about?" Bumblebee asked.

"It sounds as if it's some kind of-"

"Prophecy," the voice of Jared said. Everyone turned back to the front of the room where the window now displayed a fire, red scenery, as if it were on fire. The three figures then stepped fourth. "That's precisely what it is, and it's our prophecy!"

"Who are you?" Robin demanded.

"Why don't you ask _her_ ," Jared said as he motioned to Raven.

"What do you want with her?" Beast Boy demanded.

"We need her to tell us where to find our final brother,"

"Your final brother?" Robin asked.

"Yes, and with him we shall rule the cosmos! So stay out of the way, mortals!"

"If you think we're just gonna let that happen, then you're out of your mind!" Robin shouted. "Titans! Get ready!"

"Jesse, Jacob, take care of them. I'll deal with the girl." Jared instructed.

"Right,"

"Whatever you say,"

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted as Jared vanished.

"Jacob? Maybe you should take this one first," Jesse suggested.

"Of course," Jacob agreed. "No one can withstand the power of lust!" His eyes then changed from a deep gray to four red eyes. His hypnotic stare seemed to overcome the titans as they fell under his control. "Now, fight for my affection!" He growled in a much deeper tone and with that the others began fighting each other over who loved him the most.

"Now, Raven, is it?" Jared asked as he appeared before her.

She fell out of her trance and to the ground, "What's going on? Who are you?"

"We are the Sons of Trigon and we have come looking for our brother,"

"So then what do you need with us?" She snapped at him.

"You're the only one who can locate him as you have some of Trigon's power."

"You're out of your mind," she struggled to her feet. "I have no idea who or what you're talking about."

"Don't play coy," he began to get angry and impatient. "The prophecy speaks of seven sons with the last being the final key to our dominion over the cosmos! Where is he?"

"So you must be wrath," Raven snickered.

"Clever girl,"

"And by the looks of things, I'd say you invited lust with you,"

"And envy," Jesse said as he appeared from behind her.

"Well you may be looking for a son, but Trigon didn't sire pride into a male," she grumbled. "I am the original!" She exclaimed as four red eyes now appeared from under her hood. She began producing winds that began blowing everything.

"She lies!" Jared hissed. "Jesse, get her!" Jesse then leaped for Raven, but a tentacle of dark energy protruded from underneath her cloak and slapped him away causing him to smash into the wall.

"You were a fool to come after me!" Raven hissed. "To think that I, the gem who defeated Trigon, would help you!"

"I am the Son of Wrath! I have come to you to make you help me, whether you like it or not!" He exclaimed as he too began morphing into a different creature.

His parka split down the middle as spikes then popped out from his back. His mouth turned into a rat-like snout as his body began thin and bony. His hands turned into claws and his feet turned into talons, both lined with sharp nails.

"Tell me where my brother is and I shall contemplate on sparing your life!" Jared roared in fury as he charged her.

As the two blasted one another to the roof, the other titans continued to engage one another out of their affection for Jacob.

"Would you like to join me, Jesse?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing would please me more," he hissed as a green aura then surrounded him. He teleported to Beast Boy and Robin, who were not fighting each other at the time, and touched them both allowing the aura to rub off and onto them.

They both stopped engaging Speedy and Cyborg and turned to one another.

"You don't deserve her," Beast Boy sneered to him.

"At least she loves me back," Robin snapped as he readied himself.

"Raven does love me!"

"Raven loves no one!" He shouted as he rushed Beast Boy, who morphed into a gorilla, with his staff at the ready.

[ **scene break** ]

Beams of dark energy and fire exploded against each other on the top of the tower as Raven fought Jared.

"Tell me where he is!"

"You should have never come here!"

"It was much too easy to find you! And it'll be even easier to destroy you!" He said as a beam of fire caught Raven off guard and sent her flying to the ground.

"You're making a mistake," she huffed as he walked towards her.

"No, you are the one making the mistake," he said calmly as he stood over her. With a swift grab he picked her up by her neck and dangled her in the air. "I shall let you live, sister, if you help me."

"I can't," she choked.

"Your choice," he said as he squeezed harder, but then he let up. "No, this is too easy." He snickered.

The ground began to shake as the roof then collapsed in and the remaining titans levitated upwards. A deep, red aura surrounded them as they floated mid-air, paralyzed.

"I'll make you watch as your friends perish, one by one."

She looked on as they struggled in agony under the influence of Jared. She was unable to save them for sure if she didn't help Jared, but she might have a small chance if she did help him.

"Fine," she spit out. "I'll help."

"Good," he smiled.

Raven then got to her feet. "Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!" She chanted as a nearby portal opened. "Through there is where you'll find him...the seventh," she said with sadness in her eyes.

"Very well done," he sounded impressed as he then flung the titans to the ground. They were weak and injured from battling one another.

"Jacob," Jared called to him, "check it."

"Why me?"

"Do it!" Jared demanded. Jacob walked to the portal and Jared looked back to Raven. "Such a weak, girl. Trying to get me to believe that you could be the original sin,"

As Jacob peered into the portal, a giant, red hand emerged and pulled him into it. He let out a scream before he disappeared.

"Jacob!" Jesse called to him.

"What happened?" Jared asked.

"I don't know. One second he was there and the next he was gone," Jesse explained, but as he did a red beam of light shot out from the portal and zapped him. He, too, was gone.

"Where are they?" He demanded from Raven.

"How dare you try to trick me," Trigon's voice rumbled from beyond the portal. "How dare you try to overthrow my power. In your honor, shall you dwell with me!" He said as winds began sucking Jared into the portal as well.

Raven tried to get away, but he grabbed onto her cloak. "No! If I'm going, then you shall join me!" He demanded.

"No! Let go of me!" But his grip was much too powerful and she was too weak, as they both then began hurdling into the portal.

But in a split second, a green tentacle wrapped around her wrist and pulled her back out as Jared fell into Trigon's dimension. Beast Boy cradled her in his chest, telling her it was all over.

"You saved me," she whispered to him.

"Yeah, I guess I did, he said as he looked down at her, "but you would've done the same for me." A slight smile creased over her lips. "I'm sorry for saying all those things,"

"Don't worry about it...in a few minutes, we won't even remember getting out of bed."

"Then maybe we should make this last moment last," he said as they moved closer to one another, their lips just inches apart.


	11. The Hunted

Rain pelted Jump City in massive amounts. It was unrelenting as a hurricane passed over the city. The winds were strong enough to uproot trees and flip cars over. The waters in the bay crashed against the shores of the city and of the island that was home to Titans Tower. But even as the storm raged on, that didn't stop some from braving it in search of refuge, like the staggering silhouette of a figure struggling to stay on its feet as it looked out towards the tower.

"Uno!" Beast Boy shouted as he slammed his remaining card onto the table with a grin that took up his entire face.

"I hate this game," Raven muttered as she threw her cards into the pile.

"Tell me," Starfire started as she looked on with a puzzled look, "is saying the 'uno' the only way to win such a game?"

"In this game it is," Robin answered.

"Man! There is no way in the world that you beat me at Uno!" Cyborg complained. "Where are they?"

"What?" Beast Boy asked as he relaxed in his seat.

"The others cards that you're hiding!"

"You callin' me a cheater, Tin Man?" He asked as he and Cyborg eyed one another.

"I most certainly am, you green goblin!"

"You're just jealous that you lost and that I won!"

"Jealous? We'll see about that!" Cyborg exclaimed as he grabbed Beast Boy by the ankle and proceeded to turn him upside down and shake him crazily.

"Put...me...down!" Beast Boy shouted as he then morphed into a tiny mouse to escape.

"Is this part of the game as well?" Starfire asked as they watched the spectacle.

"In this game it is," Robin answered again with very little enthusiasm.

"Come back here and give me those cards!" Cyborg shouted as he chased a green hummingbird through the living room.

Raven then sensed something. "Someone's coming," she gasped. "The door," a knock came from their door as soon as she said it.

They all seemed very creeped out by this, especially Beast Boy who now hid behind a stunned Cyborg. Another knock came as they turned to one another and decided to head towards the doors in a group.

"Alright everyone, just remain calm, but be prepared for anything." Robin instructed.

"You do not think it's another villain? Perhaps they will launch an attack just as we allow them access to our home." Starfire suggested.

"A knocking villain? Talk about breaking the mold." Beast Boy joked awkwardly as he shook behind Cyborg.

They all moved slowly to the door, shuffling inch by inch behind Robin and Raven. Lightning continued to crackle and the thunder roared as the rain continued to fall. Another knock came from the door as Robin reached for the control panel and entered the code for the doors to open. As they did, Robin gripped his staff tightly, just in case. At first they could hardly tell who it was, but in a flash of lightning all they saw, and all they needed to see, was drenched white hair and a mask that was half orange and half black. They all gasped as they realized that the person knocking was none other than Ravager.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted, and they all flew into action with Ravager not even moving an inch.

Starfire sent a blitz of starbolts flying towards her, but she was quick as she jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding them. She wasn't quick enough, however, as a bird-like claw made of dark energy clamped onto her leg and hurled her back to the ground with a painful thud. She struggled to her knees and was able to pull out her katanas just in time to deflect Cyborg's sonic blast. From the smoke charged a rampaging T-Rex, but she jumped onto its head to avoid the jaws and ran down its back, but a flick of the tail caused her to trip up and fall to the ground. She got to her knees to see Robin coming at her from the air, his metal staff ready to plunge her into the earth. Her katanas shielded her from the impact, but just barely. Robin was going to continue his assault, but he stopped when he noticed that the girl wasn't even putting up a fight. She seemed exhausted as her hands fell to her sides. She, too, then fell onto her back and the last thing she remembers is five confused titans looking down on her.

[ **scene break** ]

"Her heart rate is stabilizing," Raven told the others as she walked out of the infirmary room where Ravager lay.

"Can I just ask why we're taking care of this girl?" Beast Boy asked the others. "Have we forgotten who she works for or what's she's done to us?"

"We don't know if she works for Slade," Raven corrected him.

"Her out practically screams Slade! And I'm sure she's mentioned something about him in a previous episode,"

"All we can really do now is wait until she wakes up," Robin said. "She came here, to us, for a reason and I'm gonna find out what that reason is." He said as he then got up and walked away. "Keep me updated on her."

"Do you think she is here to destroy us?" Starfire asked in a whisper.

"I don't know," Raven answered.

"Of course she is!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Then why did she not fight back?"

"And why would she come looking for a fight in that kind of condition, knowing she'd have to take on all of us?" Cyborg asked.

"Obviously this is all part of her plan. She knew we'd take her in because we're the good guys, and once we've all let our guard down she's gonna make her move!" Just as he said that, a scream came from the room where Ravager was being kept, causing Beast Boy to jump back in fright.

"Come on!" Cyborg instructed the others to follow him into the room.

Ravager tossed and turned vigorously. She seemed to still be unconscious, but her body jumped and twitched as her heart-rate began to sky rocket. She screamed in pain and let out groans of agony as her hands gripped the railings of the bed to the point where her knuckles were beginning to turn white.

"I came as soon as I heard!" Robin rushed into the room. "What's going on?"

"We don't know! She just screamed and when we came in she was already like this," Raven explained.

"Her heart-rate is through the roof! No human can possibly withstand this much pain!" Robin then had a flashback to when he was under the influence that Slade was alive. "If we don't do something fast then she won't make it."

"Raven, you have to go into her mind and see what she's seeing, you have to calm her down," Robin instructed.

"Alright, I'll try,"

"Wait," Cyborg stopped her, "look." He pointed to the heart monitor. The beeping lines had begun to stabilize once more and Ravager began to settle down.

"Is she...better?" Starfire asked.

A moment of silence passed, then another.

"Maybe she just-" Raven started, but was interrupted by Ravager's sudden outburst.

"SLADE!"

[ **scene break** ]

"She's still stable," Cyborg told the others as he and Raven walked into the living room.

"I couldn't find anything in her mind, either." She explained as she and Cyborg took a seat at the table. Starfire served them some tea as they seemed exhausted. "Whatever it was that caused her pain is either gone or locked somewhere deep inside her mind; somewhere that even I can't find."

"We have to get her to wake up," Robin said. "We need her to tell us why she came here in the first place."

"Do you not think Beast Boy may be right? Perhaps she is plotting a revenge with Slade."

"I thought that, but after her episode I'm starting to think otherwise,"

"Dudes, I say we just take her to the hospital and let them handle it. We've let our guard down and look where that left us. We even gave out second chances and that still didn't work out." Beast Boy pointed out.

"I have to disagree," Starfire said. "Terra may have refused the 'second chance', but she did save you, she saved all of us." Beast Boy became quiet after that.

"We're keeping her here, and that's that." Robin said. "We need to talk to her once she wakes up, for all we know we can all be in danger."

"You are," a shaky voice came from the doorway. There stood a weak Ravager, clinging onto the wall as if she'd fall to her knees if she let go. She looked like she would.

Robin walked over to her and helped her to the table. "Why are you here?" He asked her. "Why did you come to us?"

She winced from pain as she gripped her side. "I had to warn you,"

"Warn us about what?" He asked.

"Here, drink this." Starfire said as she presented her with a cup of tea. "It may taste quite bitter, but it will relieve you." She said as Ravager took a sip, but retracted from the taste, but she kept the cup anyway.

"I came here because I realized that I was fighting the wrong fight this whole time."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked.

"After our last encounter, I was able to escape through a series of tunnels, and from there I went to find Slade after I had heard that he's resurfaced."

"What?" Robin asked in a gasp.

"We were gonna team up and come after you, or at least that's what I believed. When I found him, I also found out that he had been working for an underground corporation. Because he didn't trust me I wasn't given much information about it aside from the fact that they're no good..." she trailed off.

"And?" Beast Boy asked.

"And...because I was unable to defeat you, Slade turned on me and started to beat me, and I ran away, but not before he said he would do whatever it takes to destroy me, and follow me wherever I went."

"But why?" Cyborg asked her. "Why you?"

"Because," she looked down. "Slade is my father."

[ **scene break** ]

The rain continued to fall outside as the hurricane showed little sign of letting up.

"Your father?" Beast Boy exclaimed. "But how, how is that possible?"

"Do we really need to go _there_?" Raven asked.

"You know what I mean!"

"If you are his daughter, then why does he wish to bring harm to you?"

"Because he's no father, he's a monster,"

"Been there," Raven quipped.

"After he had beaten me, he went on to say how I reminded him of all of you and that I'd be better off if I were gone...and then he'd come after all of you."

"Let him come," Cyborg huffed. "It's not like we haven't dealt with him before, and it's not like we haven't beaten him countless times."

"This time is different though," she said. "He won't be coming alone."

"So is he on his way here now?" Robin asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised. I didn't mean to lead him to you guys, and I know you probably don't believe that I've changed my ways, but I have. I knew that I had to come here, to warn you and because I knew you'd be able to help me."

"Help you, or protect you?" Beast Boy asked.

"Is there any difference?"

"Um, duh; on one hand we give you some supplies and send you on your way, but on the other hand we risk our lives to save someone who's tried to take them."

"Well, I'm not demanding your help, but I am asking for it." She said as she looked down at her cup. "Slade is on his way here, he's probably really close by now. I just thought I'd give you all a heads up," she said as she set the cup down and began walking out of the room.

"Robin, we can't let her go. We have to help her," Raven insisted.

"Are you kidding? This can all be an act!" Beast Boy objected. "I'm tired of putting my life on the line."

"If there was something off then I would have sensed it, but I didn't. She's telling the truth."

"You don't know that. You could be wrong,"

"I wasn't wrong with Huntress,"

"But you were when Terra came back. You couldn't sense that she was in trouble, you couldn't sense that she needed our help, and you couldn't save her!" He shouted as he slammed his fist against the table.

"This isn't about Terra, Beast Boy. This is about now, this is about Ravager and Slade." Robin said after deliberating. "If Raven says we can trust her then we're keeping her here to protect her against Slade."

"Whatever,"

[ **scene break** ]

"Ravager, wait," Robin stopped her before she limped out of the tower.

"What, did you want to kick me out personally?"

"No, we were gonna ask you to stay with us, just until it's safe for you to be on your own."

She looked down in disappointment. "So you're kicking me out once I'm better...right?"

Robin hesitated as he looked back at the others. Their faces were indifferent to her, especially Beast Boy's. "We're not saying that-" Robin started as reached out for her, but within moments a loud explosion erupted from somewhere near them as it was powerful enough to knock them off their feet.

There was a ringing in Robin's ears as he got up. Smoke surrounded him and he staggered to his feet, as well as the others did, but when he looked over to where Ravager was he saw that she was still on the ground. He rushed to her and tried to get her to get up, but she seemed to have been knocked out by the blast. He looked up to see that the doors had been destroyed by the blast as only fragments remained where they once stood. He looked closer into the smoke and saw a figure's silhouette walking towards them.

"Knock, knock. Anybody home?" Slade asked as he emerged from the smoke.

"No!" Robin gasped. He was almost too stunned to move, but if Ravager meant what she said then he knew that he had to get everyone away.

"Titans, move!" He shouted through the smoke.

Once they were able to see what was going on they fell back almost immediately and made their way towards the stairs to head to the basement.

"Run, run as fast as you can." Slade mused as he then went in search of the titans and Ravager.

[ **scene break** ]

The basement was cold and dark, but they figured it would give them enough time to think of something to do whenever they were forced to confront Slade.

"She's out cold, man." Cyborg said as he scanned Ravager.

"This is definitley no good, man! I told you keeping her around was no good," Beast Boy determined.

"To be truthful, she did warn us that Slade was to come here. Were it not for her we may not have been prepared."

"Prepared? Hello! We are hiding in the basement while some mad man who never seems to go away, and stay away, is lurking around trying to obliterate us!"

"Enough!" Raven snapped. "She's staying, she's here with us and we're gonna take care of Slade just like we always do."

"How touching," Slade's voice said from the top of the stairs. They all caught their breath as they turned to him. "If there's one thing that I admire about you titans, it's your resilience. It's quite admirable to say the least. I do think I'll find it rather enjoyable to crush every ounce of it!"

"What do you want, Slade?" Robin sneered.

"I don't want anything more than to see you all crushed and defeated and unable to carry on. I want nothing more than the demise of the Teen Titans..." he said in monotone, but he paused slightly once he saw Ravager laying on the floor. "So, she did make it here after all. Well I must say I'm impressed."

"What do you want with her?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell us what? The fact that you're working for a new boss? Or the fact that you, her own father, tried getting rid of her for good?"

"The latter, but I'm not surprised she brought up the former. She was always the talker, even when it went against her own good!" He exclaimed as he jumped down and towards them.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted as they all scattered with Beast Boy taking Ravager after quickly moving her out of harm's way.

"Running again? How unlike you," Slade teased.

Just then, Starfire and Cyborg began firing starbolts and sonic blasts in his direction, but he was able to jump out of the way. He retaliated by throwing small explosives that proved to have a big bang. Raven then tried to encase him with her powers, but he was quicker, so she sent crates flying towards him. With a kick and a punch he was able to smash them to pieces.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Beast Boy panicked as he watched the others fight.

"Beast Boy?" Ravager called to him weakly.

"Oh! You're up! Good, now you have to get out there and do something or Slade will destroy them!"

"I'm too weak," she muttered.

"Then what do we do? I have to help, I can't just sit back, but I can't leave you either!"

"Just go," she insisted, "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. They need you more than I do,"

"Alright, I'll be back!" He said as he started to go and help.

"And Beast Boy?" She asked before he left. "Thank you," she forced a slight smile, one in which he acknowledged before he jumped into action.

"And what do we have here? Another Tamaranean? I was sure I had met the last surviving alien from your home planet," Starfire seemed to become stunned by this, "but perhaps she failed to mention she had a sister." Slade taunted her as he advanced, but Beast Boy was quick to ram him from the side and send him flying into a few empty boxes.

"Need a hand?" He asked as he helped Starfire to her feet.

"Thank you,"

"Don't mention it."

"Titans!" Robin called to them. "I have a plan. Beast Boy, take Ravager and get out of here. Starfire and Cyborg, follow them and get to the roof as soon as you can, Raven stay here and stay hidden. When I give the signal I want you to grab Slade and teleport him to the roof where Starfire and Cyborg will be waiting to send him flying." He rushed through the plan as Slade began getting up. "Go!" He ordered.

Raven sank into the shadows as Starfire lifted Cyborg up and headed to the basement exit. Beast Boy gabbed Ravager and headed out the exit as well. Slade got to his feet just as he saw Beast Boy leaving with a weak Ravager. He began heading towards the stairs to intercept them, but Robin jumped from the shadows and delivered a kick to the face, sending Slade flying back.

"What's the matter, Slade? Leaving so soon?" He teased.

"Oh, Robin, you never cease to amaze me. It's time to put an end to that!" He shouted as he got to his feet.

"You'll have to catch me first!" He said through his teeth as he bolted up the stairs. Slade was quick to follow, but just as he made it to the top, "Raven, now!"

A field of dark energy encased Slade and disappeared into the ceiling. Raven grabbed Robin on her way to the roof and teleported him with her and a fully incapacitated Slade. A gigantic bird-of-prey, made up of dark energy, manifested itself shortly on the roof where Cyborg and Starfire waited. It dropped Slade with a thud and disappeared as Robin and Raven also appeared alongside their fellow titans. He looked around as he rubbed his head, dazed and confused.

"End of the line, Slade." Robin called to him. "Next time, try ringing the doorbell," he smirked as Cyborg and Starfire unleashed a fury of sonic blasts and starbolts: a direct hit.

The attack sent shock waves through the tower and Beast Boy listened as he watched over a recuperating Ravager.

"What was that?" She asked.

"The sound of your freedom," he smiled at her.

[ **scene break** ]

She opened her eyes to find herself laying in a bed inside of the titans tower infirmary. She looked over and saw the other titans waiting in the room as well.

"Take it easy," Robin said as she tried to sit up.

"How long was I out?"

"Just a few days, you recovered pretty well for someone in your condition." Cyborg told her.

"That's great," she smiled as she leaned her head against her pillow. "And Slade?"

"Taken care of. After we defeated him we took him to a maximum security prison; the best in the nation." Robin assured her.

"Even better. I can't thank you guys enough. I know it must've been hard to help me out, but I truly am grateful that you did."

"It's no problem," Beast Boy answered her. "Everyone deserves a second chance, after all."

"So, how long before I'm able to get out of here?" She laughed slightly.

"You should make a full recovery in a few more days," Raven said, "but we were kind of wondering if you'd like to stick around for a little while longer?"

She smiled at their gesture of kindness. "I would love to, but I can't. I'm finally able to be free, free of Slade, free of myself, and I think I wanna do things the right way this time." She smiled. "So while I'm truly grateful for the offer, I think I'm gonna have to pass, just for now."

"No worries," Robin began, "but if you ever do need us, for anything, just know that we're here for you."

"Thanks, for everything," she smiled.

[ **scene break** ]

Two armed men guarded Slade as the three of them rode in an elevator. They didn't look like policemen, but more like security guards. As the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Slade stepped out, uncuffed, and walked towards a chair in the center of an enormous room. There were computers and monitors and people in white lab coats in this room, and on the wall that was directly in front of the chair was a window. It looked into another room, but this room seemed barren and bleak with white on all sides and on the floor and ceiling. Above the window was a sign that read; "The White Hot Room".

"Everything's in order, sir." Slade said as he took a stance next to the chair.

"Good, I knew I could count on you. And your daughter?"

"She is no longer an issue for us,"

"Very good. I suspect our little project here will be coming along soon enough. Given a few more years and-"

"A few more years?" Slade asked in disbelief. "Must we wait so long for something so grave as _this_?"

"Patience, Slade. The end of the titans will come soon enough, however, in order to assure a victory we must take all necessary precautions." The man who sat in the chair explained. "We've already begun assembling candidates for our little...'team', with you at the forefront, of course."

"Of course," Slade agreed. "And how is the project coming thus far?"

"Marvelous. Progress is coming along swimmingly. It is a long road to completion, but given ample time and I know that _Prime_ will be the perfect soldier and the ultimate weapon against the Teen Titans, and after their demise, the rest of the supers in the world."


	12. Wildfire

Long ago, on a distant planet and in a distant world, lived a race far more advanced than those who call the Earth their home. These superior aliens were known to others throughout the cosmos as Tamaraneans. Their hair burned as red as the sun seen from earth each morning, and their eyes were as big and bright as precious gems, such as emeralds. They were an overtly friendly race of orange-skinned extraterrestrials who were renowned as excellent warriors. However, a war waged by the Citadel wreaked havoc on their ecosystem and turned a lush, tropical-like paradise into a barren, mountainous wasteland.

In an effort to salvage what was left, a lone princess was sacrificed to the Citadel for a life of enslavement. Upon their departure with their prisoner, the princess was able to escape her captors and flee to a nearby planet. Following this breach of treaty, the Citadel waged war on the Tamaraneans once more. Soon after, the planet was ravaged by yet another attack by the Gordanians.

Following many years of staying away from her home world, the former princess of Tamaran returned in an effort to appease another alien race that was threatening to enslave her people by declaring peace through marriage. The princess was nearly given away, until it was discovered that her sister, the now Grand Ruler of Tamaran, was behind the entire plot to do away with the young princess. After a fight for the crown, the princess won the battle against her sadistic sister, banishing her in the process. She relinquished the crown, however, to a more suitable ruler and left Tamaran once more.

[ **scene break** ]

"Oh, I cannot wait to return home!" Starfire gushed as she buckled herself into the T-Ship. "I can already smell the blaach tails and the glurk scales!" She continued as she rubbed her stomach out of hunger.

"Haven't you people ever heard of something normal?" Beast Boy asked. "Like a veggie pizza or something? The last time we were there I was sure the 'food' on my plate was still trying to get away."

"How can I forget!" Starfire gasped at the thought. "The glorg!" She beamed from ear to ear.

"I'm guessing that's a no," Raven muttered.

"How long has it been since you've made contact with Tamaran?" Robin asked as he and the others settled into their pods.

"It has been a very long time and I have developed a bad case of the home sickness." She explained. "But that is not the cause for my return," she continued. "Last we did battle with Slade, he told me that he had been in contact with, what he thought was, the last Tamaranean. I do not do the reading of his words, but for Slade to know of my world was somewhat...troubling."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Raven reassured.

"Yeah," Cyborg chimed in. "The dude has issues, he probably keeps tabs on all of us."

"I do agree, but I would just like to visit. Perhaps Galfore has made success in restoring our home back to its state before the Gordanians and before the Citadel invaded."

"Well I'm sure he'll be just as happy to see you again," Robin added. "Cyborg, are we ready for takeoff?"

"You know it. Thrusters are all ready to do some damage."

"Alright then, here we go." The ship began to rumble as it rocked forward and then shot straight through the launch tunnel and into the clear, blue sky.

[ **scene break** ]

"Have you ever seen such beauty?" Starfire asked as she gazed out into the abyss of space.

They passed constellations and many different planets and stars as they drifted on towards Starfire's home world. She continued to gaze wonderingly at all that they passed, pointing out every little thing that she could see.

"And look! Look at the drifting asteroid! Does it not remind you of Silkie, my little bumgorf?" She asked as she looked on lovingly. "I do hope he does not miss me too much on my visit."

"Uh, Starfire?" Raven called to her. "We've passed by at least 60 asteroids in the same belt and you've said the same thing about every single one of them."

"Forgive my annoyance," she blushed. "It has been very long since I have been to my home world or seen my loved ones. The only one whom I did see did not display the normal signs of affection, so I would not count that."

"You are talking about Blackfire, right?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes,"

"Cool, just checking to make sure I'm on the same page."

"Yeah, yeah, we get the beauty of space and all, but Starfire! Are we there yet?" Beast Boy complained. "I'm starting to get claustrophobia from being cooped up in this space pod!"

"Do not worry, friend. If I am correct then we should be approaching the planet of Tamaran very soon."

"Are you sure, Star?" Robin asked. "I'm not getting a read on the radar."

"Perhaps it is damaged. It must be as we passed the Foramen Nebula 30 lumarks ago which means we should be approaching..." she trailed off.

"Uh, Star? You there?" Robin asked as he turned to her. "Is your mic on?" He then turned to see what she was staring at.

There, where Starfire's home planet of Tamaran once resided, was only a grouping of what appeared to be drifting meteors. They continued flying closer to them.

"You are now in the Vegan System. Approaching the planet Tamaran." The radar voiced.

"It is...impossible," she gasped. "This cannot be! This must be a mistake." She began to get watery eyes as she pressed against the glass of her pod. "Where is Tamaran?"

Chunks of rock drifted through the emptiness of space as the titans coasted through the minefield of what was once, what looked like, a whole planet. Tears stained the glass of Starfire's pod as she continued to gaze outside of it.

"I'm getting high radiation levels, Robin." Raven said into her microphone. "If anything happened then it happened recently."

"But...why?" Starfire croaked. "Who or what could do such a thing to a whole planet? To the people who lived here..."

"I'm sorry, Star," Robin started, not that she was paying much attention, "but we can't stay here much longer. The radiation levels are too high and-"

"Fine," she interrupted. "I understand, and I do not wish to put any of my friends in harm's way." She slouched back in her seat. "Let us return home."

[ **scene break** ]

The days came and went, but it was the nights that seemed to drag on as Starfire continued her isolation within her room. Because the team had no real threat, the others were able to respect her privacy and handle whatever incidents they needed without her.

"Don't you think we should at least see if she's OK?" Beast Boy asked as he and Cyborg stood just outside her door.

"I don't know, man. Raven said not to bother her and you know how she gets when you don't listen to her."

"But you'd think she would be used to it by now,"

"Used to what?" Her raspy voice asked from the shadows behind them. Her sudden presence causes the two to jump as Beast Boy lets out a wail and ends up in Cyborg's arms.

"Ugh, hey, Rae," Beast Boy laughed nervously as he got back to his feet. "What's up?"

"What are you two doing?"

"Not disturbing Starfire, that's for sure." He said as a matter of fact.

"Uh-huh," she responded dryly as one of her eyebrows popped up.

Just then the door to Starfire's room slid open causing Beast Boy to jump out of fear and land in Raven's arms. She quickly drops him to the floor .

"Starfire," Cyborg started, "how are you-"

"Not well," she said in a solemn tone. "I thought solitude would heal the wounds I have acquired, but it seems as that is not the case. I cannot be of any help to anyone if all I am to do is stay in my room ... I cannot be of help to all whom I have lost."

"If you need time-" Raven started to console her.

"No, I have already taken enough time, and if I am to recover then I should do so with the people who can help me; me friends." She finished with a smile.

"Starfire," Robin called to her from down the corridor. He had suddenly become speechless as it had been a three long weeks since he last saw her.

"Robin," she looked on at him with hurt, but also with relief. "I-" before she could continue she was interrupted by a burst of red light that radiated from the outside sky.

The team watched as a ball of blazing flames fell from the clear, blue sky and crash landed into the center of the city in an explosion of smoke and fire. The five of them were all quite stunned at what they just saw, but the sound of the alarm snapped them back to reality.

"Titans, go!"

[ **scene break** ]

What was once a calm city on a Sunday afternoon was now a seeming warzone. There were civilians running around in every direction making crowd control severely difficult. It was easy, however, to see where the source of the panic was coming from. The ball of fire that came crashing down was a medium-sized meteor.

"Where the heck did that come from?" Beast Boy asked with surprise.

"Uh, from outer space." Raven quickly quipped.

"Titans! We need to put out the fire and get all these people out of here for their safety!" Robin ordered just as he dashed into action.

The others rushed in right after him. Starfire and Cyborg began opening fire hydrants while Raven was able to bring up the pipes from underground. Robin and Beast Boy continued to get the people out of the way as the others continued to work to put out the fire and to cool the meteor down. Soon enough all the civilians had been cleared and the flames had been reduced to individual trails of rising smoke.

"We did it!" Starfire squealed with excitement. "It feels wonderful to be a, a-"

"A hero?" Beast Boy finished.

She smiled. "Yes. It feels wonderful to be a hero once again."

"Good to have you back." Cyborg chimed in.

"Good work, team." Robin said as he gathered with the others. "Now all we need to do is-"

Before Robin could even finish his sentence a chunk of rock flew off the meteor and crashed into him at full force. It sent him flying a few feet from the group, but before they could react to help him a slew of bright blue energy bolts came flying out of the meteor sending the others racing for cover.

"What's going on?" Beast Boy shouted from behind a turned over car.

"I don't know! My energy signals are going through the roof!" Cyborg shouted back. "There's definitely something organic in that thing!"

The bolts of energy then suddenly stopped firing off just as quickly as they started. While Raven teleported Robin out of harm's way, the others began to move in cautiously with Starfire and Beast Boy taking cover behind Cyborg.

"What do you think is in there?"

"Cyborg did say he was getting," she swallowed hard, "organic readings."

"Organic meaning what exactly?"

"Alive." Cyborg answered. "Alive and dangerous." Now Beast Boy was the one to swallow hard. The three then made their way to the opening of the meteor. "On my count," Cyborg whispered. "One," he readied his sonic cannon. "Two," Starfire readied her starbolts. "Three!" They all peered into the opening ready to attack, but there was nothing.

"I do not understand," Starfire looked at an equally confused octopus-formed Beast Boy and Cyborg. "Where is the organism?"

Just then an unconscious Raven was flung into Beast Boy's back sending them both flying. Cyborg turned with his sonic cannon ready to fire, but was also sent flying back when a blue energy bolt suddenly made contact with him. A panicked Starfire was about to take to the air when she felt an extreme weight rush against her body and bring her to the ground. Once she was able to see past the blurriness she was able to see a young boy looking right back at her. His eyes and hands growing blue with rage.

He began shouting furiously to her in her native tongue, but all she could do was stare back at him in awe. Tears began to flood her eyes, and once the boy noticed this he began to back off a little. She was speechless at the sight of him and was only able to reach out and touch his face.

"Wildfire?" She asked with a smile, but all he could do was look at her with a puzzled expression. "Ryand'r?" That's when he understood.

"Koriand'r?" He asked back. He was just about to reach out to her when one of Robin's Birdarangs flew straight into his face, knocking him to the ground.

"Starfire! Get back!" Robin shouted as he dashed to the boy with his staff at the ready.

"Robin, stop! He is my brother!"

[ **scene break** ]

The Titans watched from the other side of a door as Starfire tended to her injured brother. They all tried their best to get a peek at him through the small sliver of window that was available for them.

"Ugh, I can't see anything!" Beast Boy whined. "Cyborg's robot parts keep getting in the way!" He shouted more as he pushed Cyborg's arm to the side.

"You gotta wait your turn, little man!"

"Who said anything about turns?" Beast Boy asked as he made his way onto Cyborg's head. He smiled with success when he reached the top, but was quickly thrown off once the door opened and Cyborg stepped back.

"How is he doing?" Robin asked as Starfire walked into the hallway with the others.

"He is all right."

"How are you doing?" Raven asked.

"I, too, am all right," she smiled shakily at them. She then fell into a chair as her smile vanished. "Perhaps I will be all right, but at the moment I am not. I have not seen Wildfire for a very long time, and even forgotten what he looked like. But now ... now that he is back it makes me unhappy. He is so young and we do not have a home or a family to go to." She said as she pulled into herself.

"Don't say that, Star." Robin said as he knelt down to comfort her. "You do have a family; _we_ are your family, and Wildfire is more than welcome to stay here with us."

She looked up to him and then to the others as a smile formed across her lips once more. The door then opened once more and the others stood aside to see Wildfire standing in the threshold.

"Brother!" She rushed him. "Oh, it is so marvelous to see you! It has been so long! Forgive me for not searching for you! I was so young and you were so young and-"

"Starfire," he stopped her as he pulled away from her grip, "it's all right. It truly is, sister. What matters more is that I was able to find you." He then looked around. "Where is Blackfire?"

She looked away in sorrow. "Our sister is missing as well, but I do hope to find her."

"And what of our parents? I thought something terrible must've happened after seeing Tamaran has been destroyed, but if you are here then they certainly must be, too, right?"

"Brother," Starfire's expression grew from sorrow to despair, "I do not believe that our parents survived the tragedy that befell our home. I have not seen them at all. I have not seen anyone."

I backed away in disbelief. "Surely you have just made a mistake."

"I assure you, I have not."

He looked away, fighting back tears. He suddenly punched the wall in anger, startling the others. "I should have went back."

"What do you mean?"

"Our parents sent me off to train and to fight against the Citadel. They had asked me to return to Tamaran to aid the others at home while they, too, went off to fight. I was to go back when I heard news of their return, but I see it was too late."

Starfire was unable to take her eyes away from him, but she knew she had to say something to take his mind off of things. "Come, brother. I want you to meet my friends. They saved me from the Citadel many years ago and welcomed me to their planet, just as I welcome you." She said as the two walked to the other Titans. "Friends, I would like for you all to meet my brother, Wildfire. Wildfire, please meet my friends; this is Robin."

"Nice to meet you, Wildfire. Sorry for attacking you earlier. Had I known you were Starfire's brother then I'm sure things would have ended differently."

"No worries. We Tamaraneans are very resilient."

"And this is Cyborg."

"If you're anything like Star, then I'm sure you'll do fine with us!"

"With you? I do not understand."

"We'll talk more in a minute, but first this is Beast Boy,"

"How's it going?"

"And this is Raven."

"Hi."

"Your friends do seem great, but they all seem different from what we were taught about Earth species."

"Yes, well we are all different, but we have been good friends and a most wonderful team."

"Team?"

"Yes. Come, let us go to the room of living. I shall show you the wonders of television and mustard!" Starfire exclaimed as she quickly pulled him in the direction of the living room.

"What do you think?" Raven asked Robin as Cyborg and Beast Boy both turned to him as well.

"Too early to tell." He said as he walked off.

[ **scene break** ]

"So what do you think?" Starfire asked as she watched Wildfire closely as he took a sip from the mustard jar.

"Hmm, it tastes like meshed Bav'lorian Skuttlers! It's delicious!"

"Oh, I'm most happy that you enjoy it! Next I will take you to the mall of shopping and to try another one of Earth's delicacies; pizza!" She squealed. Just then Silkie appeared from behind the counter. "Silkie! How could I forget?" She said as she hurriedly brought the larva to her brother. "Wildfire! Please say hello to my little bumgorf, Silkie!" She exclaimed with joy as she pushed the small worm into her brother's face.

"Starfire!" He exclaimed as he jumped back in fright. "What is that creature?" Silkie seemed to feel the same way as it began squirming in Starfire's hands which lead to it throwing up in Wildfire's direction.

"What is wrong my little bumgorf?" She cooed as she tried to comfort it. "Wildfire, I'm surprised that you did not like Silkie. I thought you would take an instant liking to him, and I've never seen Silkie react in such a way to anyone."

"Like it? Sister, how can you touch it? I would never go near such a vile creature, or any beast for that matter." Beast Boy shot him a look of disdain from behind as he slowly sank into his seat.

"Brother!" She sounded upset. "Please do not speak so ill of Silkie. Besides, if I recall you had a similar pet when you were growing up. You could never turn away from any creature, no matter how 'vile'."

"Perhaps I have just been away from such things for so long."

"Perhaps," she sighed. "I thought you would surely adore Silkie, but I suppose people change. Maybe you'll learn to love him as I do, and as you used to love other things."

"It's a possibility. This world is so new to me. I may still be finding it hard to adjust to such things that you're already accustomed to."

"Well I shall be here to help ease you into these new customs, but do not worry! There is plenty of time for everything! Now come, we must go for some pizza! I know you will love that almost as much as mustard!" She mused as she yanked him by the arm once again and lead him away.

"Anything yet?" Raven asked.

"Well I'm certainly no fan," Beast Boy said with a huff.

"We can't keep treating him like a bad guy because he isn't." Robin explained. "He's Starfire's younger brother, and he might start off strange, but it's not his fault. I'm sure we'll all get used to having him around." He said as he walked off once more.

"What are you thinking, Rae?" Cyborg asked her.

"I don't like what I'm feeling, but Robin's right. We can't treat him like an outsider. If we do then he will be one. You've ran your scans on him and he checks out."

"Not entirely."

"What do you mean?"

"His blood readings came back and they weren't a match to Starfire's, or any kind of Tamaranean. I don't know what it is, but there is something different about him. I couldn't get a clear reading, but I did find traces of what could be fuel."

"Fuel? Like oil?"

"Not like our kind of oil, but in that area."

"Dude, the guy just downed a whole jar of mustard! And you've seen the stuff Star and her people eat, are you honestly surprised about there being oil in his system?" Beast Boy pointed out.

"Whatever the case I think we should keep our eyes open." Said Cyborg.

[ **scene break** ]

"And you are certain that this is not a Gordanian invasion?" Wildfire asked as he looked up at the night sky in awe. Fireworks burst into many brilliant colors as he and Starfire watched them from the roof of the tower.

"I am certain." She smiled as she continued to look at him. "It's been so long, brother." She said as tears began welling in her eyes.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, but when I saw that Tamaran was no more I felt as though a part of me went with it. However, now that you're here I feel like I have regained that piece of me, and it feels unlike anything I have felt in so long."

Wildfire returned the look of adoration. "I, too, have missed you, sister. And now that we are together we shall be able to leave this place and go in search for Blackfire. Then we will be able to be reunited once more."

A look of uncertainty crossed Starfire's face. "That may not be in my best interest."

"What do you mean?"

"Brother, many things have transpired between Blackfire and me, and I do not think she will be wanting to see me anytime soon." She said as she looked back at the fireworks. "Besides, I like my home here now. I have good friends and-"

"But they are not your family. _We_ are your family."

"Please understand,"

"I do not think I can, sister." He said as he stood up. "I do not wish to stay here among your 'friends'. I wish to find my sister." He walked away.

Starfire looked back at him, but was unable to think of anything to say to him, so she let him leave.

[ **scene break** ]

As the city slept and the other titans, too, dozed off to bed, Cyborg continued to work on finding out what was flowing through Wildfire's blood. He ran test after test, but because Wildfire was a different species nothing was coming back with conclusive results.

"Why did they have to be from a whole other race?" Cyborg groaned out loud to himself. "They could've been from the other side of the world, but no they had to be from the other side of the universe!"

"Anything yet?" Raven asked from behind him.

"AHH!" Cyborg screamed as he fell out of his chair. "Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Right. So have you been able to find anything on what's going on with Wildfire?"

"Not yet," he answered as he tried to control his breathing. "It's not easy when they aren't from this planet. Their whole biological makeup is different from humans." He explained while looking at the data on the computer screen. "Listen, can you hand me that stack of papers on the counter? I need them to compare some things." He asked as Raven then handed him the papers. "Thanks, Rae."

"My pleasure," a voice that didn't belong to Raven answered.

Cyborg turned in his chair to see Wildfire standing behind him. The next thing he knew he was being punched in the face and knocked clear across the room. He looked up and saw Wildfire advancing on him, and just a few feet away was an unconscious Raven.

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd see what my dear sister's friends were up to behind her back. Seems like I have arrived just in time."

"Just in time for what?"

"To destroy you, of course. I cannot have you messing up our plans, now can I?"

"What do you mean 'our plans'? Who are you?"

Wildfire smirked as he aimed his fist for Cyborg. As Cyborg braced himself, Wildfire began firing blue starbolts, but instead of firing them at him, he was firing them at the computers.

"Yo! That's my tech!" Cyborg shouted furiously as he got to his feet and fired his sonic cannon at Wildfire.

Wildfire quickly countered with a fixed starbeam. "It seems we are matched!" He shouted over the explosion of their powers colliding.

A sudden blast of dark energy sent Wildfire to his knees. "Think again!" Raven quipped as she staggered to her feet.

"It seems I have underestimated you earthlings!" Wildfire shouted as he got to his feet. He then went on to fire a starbeam at the both of them, one from each hand. Both Cyborg and Raven countered his attacks, but it was clear that his powers were strong. "You cannot win! I will destroy you all!" He laughed manically as his powers continued to overpower the two titans.

Almost out of nowhere a green blast appeared and struck Wildfire right in the chest causing him to stop the attack. He looked down to see a wound and looked back up to see Starfire standing a ways back. Her fists were clenched as a trail of smoke lingered and her eyes were full of anger. He fell to his knees and then to his back as Starfire rushed to help a battered Raven and Cyborg.

"What's going on?" Robin yelled as he and Beast Boy made their way to the room.

"Dude!" Beast Boy said in a stunned tone. He saw Wildfire lying motionless in one spot as well as Cyborg and Raven huddled in another.

"Friends! Are you-"

"We're OK, Star." Cyborg assured her. "If you didn't show up then no telling what he would have done."

"But why did he do anything at all?" She asked as she walked over to Wildfire.

Cyborg was about to explain his findings to her, but Raven stopped him.

Starfire got to her knees as she reached to caress her brother. "Wildfire,"

He stopped her before he could finish. "A princess shouldn't cry," he said as he wiped a tear away from her cheek.

"And neither should a prince." She said as she wiped a tear from his face. "I did not mean to harm you, but my friends ..."

"Do not worry. I feel no pain at all." He said with a smile as he then closed his eyes one last time.

"Brother!" She cried as she tried to get him to open his eyes. "Brother, please!"

"Star," Cyborg stopped her as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "He isn't your brother."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I was doing research and his biometrics came back as being, mostly, mechanical."

"Meaning?"

"He was nothing but an android." Raven concluded.

"Humph, I could have told you that." Beast Boy added. "I mean the signs were there. Who doesn't like animals?"

"This can't be," Starfire said as she looked back at a lifeless Wildfire. She then ran her fingers over his wound and her eyes widened. She pulled back the flesh-like exterior to reveal machine-like insides. "But how can this be?"

"Whoever designed him must've used some incredible mechanics. It's like nothing I've ever seen before, and if my scanners couldn't pick it up then it definitely isn't from here."

"But he was so real." She still sounded surprised. "He knew things that no one could have known."

"Or maybe someone who did know these things helped out." Robin concluded.

"But who-" then it hit her. "Blackfire."

"No." Beast Boy said in disbelief. "It couldn't be ... can it?"

"I do not know anyone who would pull such an elaborate attack on me. Besides, who else is left besides her?"

"You don't know that she's the only Tamaranean left, Starfire." Raven assured her. "I mean, she obviously designed, or helped design, this Wildfire to the point where it could fool you. It's a possibility that Wildfire, the real Wildfire, is out there somewhere. She may have had contact with him recently in order to have something to model this android after."

Starfire's eyes lit up almost immediately. "You are right! Blackfire must know where he is! Oh, thank you, Raven!" She squealed as she hugged Raven tightly. She then let go of her and began flying out of the room.

"Starfire!" Robin called after her. "Where are you going?"

"To see my sister."

[ **scene break** ]

It didn't take long for Starfire to find the intergalactic prison that was holding Blackfire. It was one of the most strict prisons in the galaxy as it was responsible for many high profiled criminals. And waiting in one of their cells was the former Grand Ruler of Tamaran herself, Blackfire.

"Hello, sister." Starfire said as she approached Blackfire's cell.

"Well, well. If it isn't a Teen Titan." Blackfire said without looking up. "Nice to see you, too, Starfire." She said as her eyes finally looked up to meet Starfire's gaze. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Came to bust your dearest, elder sister out of this place?"

"You should not get your hopes up." Starfire responded coldly. "I came here because of this," she said as she tossed a piece of the clothing that the android of Wildfire wore. "What do you know of this? Who built it? Where is Wildfire? Is this connected to what happened to Tamaran?"

"It's cute how you think I'd really help you out with any kind of answer. Especially after all we've been through, sister dear."

"You will tell me, or I'll-"

"Or you'll what? Through me in prison? News flash, Starfire! There's nothing more you can do to me!"

"We shall see." Starfire said through gritted teeth. "You will tell me where Wildfire is!" Her eyes began to glow a bright green.

All Blackfire could do was laugh. "Go ahead. Blast away, little sis because if you do you'll end up in here just like me."

Although she was still visibly angry, Starfire retrained herself. "Fine. You do not wish to tell me, and that is your choice. I will leave you now and I will never come back." She said as she began walking away. "And I will find _my_ brother."

"Where are you going?" Blackfire began calling to her. "You can't leave me here! Don't turn your back on your family, sister!"

Starfire stopped in her tracks. "He is now the only family that I have left." She paused. "Goodbye, Blackfire of Tamaran." She said as she then began walking away once more.


	13. All Good Things

**Uplink ID: Ravager. Status: Unknown. Threat: Zero.**

**Uplink ID: Gemini. Status: Enemy. Threat: Minimal.**

**Uplink ID: Cyborgirl. Status: Enemy, Defeated. Threat: Zero.**

**Uplink ID: Sons of Trigon. Status: Enemy, Defeated. Threat: Zero.**

**Uplink ID: Huntress. Status: Ally. Threat: Zero.**

**Uplink ID: Slade. Status: Enemy. Threat: Prime.**

"Dude," Beast Boy yawned as he leaned back in his chair, "feels like years have gone by since we updated the database."

"Yup. Another batch of bad guys bite the dust. I don't even know the score, but I'm sure we're winning by now!" Cyborg chimed in as the two high-fived one another. "Booyah!"

"It's been months since we've had to deal with any serious problems." Beast Boy noted as he sat back and took a sip of his soda. "Things have been pretty good around here." He finished as he and Cyborg sat in silence.

"Yeah, pretty good." Cyborg agreed with less enthusiasm as they both looked around.

They looked out the gigantic window that overlooked the bay. The sky had turned from blue to pink and purple and orange as it began setting. The city was quiet and peaceful, as it had been for the past few months. Any problem that had presented itself was quickly taken care of by the titans or local law enforcement. Even though the team was able to relax more often, it seemed as the lack of crime was starting to take its toll.

"You know," Beast Boy started, breaking the silence, "I hate to say it, but things seemed a lot better when there were bad guys around."

"Yeah, a lot better."

[ **scene break** ]

The wind blew softly through Starfire's hair as she watched the sun set just outside Titan's Tower. The waves from the bay crashed against the small island that housed the tower. She continued to take in deep breaths and slowly release them.

"You OK?" Robin asked as he approached her.

"Robin, I-" she started without turning to him, her green eyes now shifting to the water, "No. I am not OK." Her arms wrapped themselves around her body.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I fear there is nothing anyone can do. As long as I am here and my brother is," her eyes turn back to the darkening sky, "out there, then I do not think I can be OK." She starts walking away, but Robin stops her.

"Then maybe we should go find him," he tells her with a soft smile.

She smiles back at him, but it vanishes almost instantly as she continues to walk away. "Our duty is here, Robin. We cannot just leave when there is so much that can go wrong."

[ **scene break** ]

Twilight approached as Raven continued to meditate in her room. She chant her mantra over and over as she levitated from the floor. With Trigon since defeated, Raven was able to relinquish some hold over her emotions, but by habit, she did not release much. She searched her mind for some form of comfort over the apparent loss of her mother against Trigon's wrath.

"Raven," the sudden sound of a voice calling to her caused her to stop her chanting. "Raven."

"Mother?"

"Raven, I need you." The image of a figure in white robes appeared in Raven's mind. It was turned away from her making it difficult to distinguish who it really was.

"Who are you?" She could feel her hand reach out in an effort to turn the figure around, but when she did the face was blurred out. The image suddenly faded leaving Raven wondering who the figure was.

She came out of her trance as she came to rest on the floor. She stood up and walked to her bed. Images of a burning Azarath appeared in her mind as she sat down, her breathing intensified.

"That couldn't have been her," she said to herself. "They're all gone, Raven. Every last one of them. Gone." She seemingly chided herself. "Don't be so stupid ... they're all gone."

[ **scene break** ]

Although it was now well into the night, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Robin and Raven lingered in the living room of the tower. None of them spoke, but sat in their own silence instead. Beast Boy flipped on the TV and began scrolling through channels, but seemed uninterested in anything. Cyborg sat at one of the computers and continued to update the database as well as the tower's mainframe. Robin and Raven sat at the table unaware of the other's presence. Raven had her nose in a book and all Robin could do was stare at the ceiling.

"Friends," Starfire said aloud as she stood in the doorway of the living room. The others turned half-heartedly to her. "We have had countless adventures and have faced off against many adversaries, but I feel that the time has come for me to take my leave." They all stopped what they were doing and were now fully attentive to what she was saying.

"Starfire," Robin seemed to force her name out, "what are you talking about?"

She became increasingly upset as she continued. "My little brother is somewhere out there, and I fear that time may be wasting if I do not find him."

"But what about us? The team, you said our duty is here." He reminded her.

"Robin, please. Do not make this difficult. I have made up my mind, and I know you have similar thoughts. We are no longer heroes in our current state, but merely overseers. There is nothing for us here, and I do not want to waste any more time in the anticipation of an attack that is never going to come. My services are no longer needed." She finished as she then walked away leaving the others in a stunned silence.

"Dude, what just happened?"

"She's right," Robin said with a hung head. "We aren't heroes anymore, and we shouldn't keep pretending."

"What are you saying, Robin?" Cyborg asked, but without answering Robin walked away.

"Dude, can somebody please tell me what just happened?"

Raven turned to him, "All good things must come to an end." She then got up and walked off as well leaving only Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"You don't think they're serious ... do you?" Beast Boy asked.

"I don't know, man, but I wouldn't be surprised."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like Star said, we're heroes and heroes have to go where there's trouble. We can't hang around this place when there's other things happening in other places. Since we took out every evil mastermind and crack-pot bad guy, Jump city doesn't need us anymore."

"And you agree with them?"

"No. But we can't be the Teen Titans when there's only two of us." Cyborg said as he, too, stood up and walked away.

[ **scene break** ]

Starfire continued to go through her things as she prepared for her departure. As she packed, a distraught Silkie found its way onto her bed.

"What is the matter, my little bumgorf? Why do you look so unpleased?" She looked into the little larva's eyes, as if she were communicating telepathically with it. "I know you will miss our friends as I will miss them, too," she paused, "but we cannot stay here while Wildfire is out there." She walked to her window and stared out and into the sky while still holding onto Silkie. "He could be hurt or in danger. I do not wish to think about what trouble our sis-" she looked down. "We must go to him." She decided before placing Silkie on the floor and went on with her packing.

As she sifted through her belongings, a knock came from the other side of her door. "You may enter."

The door slid open as Raven walked in. "I see you're already packing."

"Yes. I do not wish to waste any more time."

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I do not know. Once I do find my brother then perhaps we will return then."

"Perhaps?"

Starfire stopped packing. "I do not wish to dwell on the past. You of all should know that moving on is the best thing to do, even when the past seems to not permit us."

"Are you sure you're OK, Starfire?" Raven asked, noticing the despair in Starfire's voice.

"I shall be better. Why do you ask?"

"Because I also know what running looks like, and it looks like you're running from something." Silence. "Are you?"

Starfire sat on her bed and wiped her tears away. "I do not wish to run, and I do not want to seem like I am running from my friends ... but I need to find my brother. He is all I have left. I know you do not like to share your feelings, but surely you must understand. You must understand what it is like to lose something dear to you."

Images of a burning Azarath and her mother flashed in Raven's mind. "I do understand," she admitted while sitting beside Starfire, her eyes fixed on the floor, "more than I wish I could admit."

"Then you are not upset with me?" Starfire asked as her big, green eyes turned to Raven.

"No," Raven answered as she then turned to Starfire. "I'm not upset with you. As your friend I only want you to find your own happiness, and I can't hold that against you." She then gave a small smile.

Starfire, too, smiled through her tears as she surprised Raven with a hug. After a brief moment of shock Raven returned the tearful hug. She looked down as Silkie made its way onto her lap. A smile then crossed its face to which Starfire noticed.

"Raven, I know I will be unable to take Silkie with me," Starfire started as she caressed Silkie's head with her hand, "and I was wondering if, perhaps," Starfire suddenly found it hard to speak as her voice cracked under the tears.

Raven placed her hand on Starfire's, "I will." She said with another smile.

[ **scene break** ]

As the other titans slept, Raven was left tossing and turning in bed. She was sweating as images of Trigon destroying Azarath played out in her dreams. She ran and ran as fast as she could, but there was no escaping what she was seeing.

"Are you not tired of running away, Raven?" Trigon's voice bellowed.

"I'm not running away! I'm looking for someone!" She shouted as she kept running. Building after building came and went, but she was still unable to find what she was looking for.

"Face it, your efforts will never be fruitful. No matter what you do, you will never succeed."

"You're wrong! I destroyed you, and I can do it again!"

"Foolish girl, you have no power. You are weak, you are insignificant. You are nothing!"

"No!" She shouted as her powers seemed to overcome her while enveloping everything else around her.

Soon Trigon was gone, as was everything else in her dream world. There was nothing left but whiteness. Everywhere she looked there was only white.

"Where am I?"

"Do not be afraid, Raven." The voice from earlier calmed her.

"Who's there?" Raven asked as she continued to scan her surroundings. "Show yourself!"

"Even in your dreams are your powers as strong as ever." The voice noted from behind her.

Raven turned on her heels to see the cloaked figure from before. The hood was covering the face making it impossible to see who was there.

"Please, who are you?"

"It's me, Raven." The figure looked up. "Your mother."

A sudden shock came over her as she became petrified in her tracks. "Arella?" Tears welled in her eyes. "Mother?"

"Yes, Raven, it is me."

Raven fell to her knees. "But it can't be. You can't be real. Trigon ... he destroyed everything, and everyone!" Her powers began to emit themselves in the form of impulse waves. "Get out of my head!"

"Raven," Arella said calmly as she placed a hand on Raven's shoulder, "do not be afraid." Raven's powers began to suppress themselves as she calmed down.

"But I don't understand,"

"It is true that Azarath was destroyed when Trigon ventured into the dimension, but once you and your friends defeated him everything was restored. The holds of his powers were broken and his influence faded. All is not lost." She said as she revealed a restored Azarath.

Raven looked on in awe. "It's just like I remember it." She looked on as everything that was once destroyed or burning was now glistening in a heavenly glow. "But why are you here? Why do you need me?"

"Raven, I came to you as a favor to Azar. I, initially, wanted to allow you to lead a normal life now that you are free of your father's hold. However, Azar would like to enlist your help in rebuilding Azarath."

"Rebuilding?"

"Yes. Although much has been restored, the people of Azarath still need guidance. That is where you come in, as a beacon of hope for all."

"What do you mean?"

"Your powers are something to be in awe of, and if you can utilize them for the betterment of your kind then perhaps they can regain a piece of mind of their world after such chaos."

"But how can I do any of this?"

"All you need to do is come with me. You know how to open the portal to our world, and all you need to do is step in and close the portal."

Raven thought about this as she looked down at her mother's outstretched hand. She thought about the other titans and about Starfire deciding to leave the team.

[ **scene break** ]

Beads of sweat drip down Robin's forehead as he landed punch after punch against the punching bag that hung in the weight room. Each hit intensified after the other as he continued to exert his anger and emotions on the punching bag.

"Robin?" Raven called to him from the doorway.

"What?" He asked without looking away from the punching bag, or without ceasing to hit it continuously.

"I need to talk to you."

"It can wait," he hit the bag once more. "I'm busy."

"No, it can't."

"Too bad," he snapped, still not making any eye contact.

Raven's dark energy then engulfed the bag as she then flung it against the opposite wall. She threw it with so much ferocity that it put a partial hole in the wall. That was enough to catch Robin's attention.

"What is it?" He said as he walked over to a small table and began wrapping his wrists.

"It's about Starfire, and her decision to leave the team."

He paused only for a brief moment, but then continued to wrap his wrist. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Something's come up, and, well I've decided to go my own way, too."

"What?" He turned quickly to face her. "You can't leave."

"I have to, I don't have a choice right now."

"What is it? What can be more important than this team? Than us?" He snapped.

"It's my mother," she whispered as he seemed to calm down some. "She, along with the rest of Azarath, have been brought back, and they need me."

"Oh," he said as they both became silent. "I understand. It's been a good ride, hasn't it?" He said as he turned away from her once more.

"It's been great."

He nodded. "I hope everything works out for you and your people."

"I'll always be there for you. For all of you."

Robin let out a small chuckle. "Yeah." And with that he finished wrapping up his hands and began punching the speed bag that dangled from the ceiling as Raven walked away.

[ **scene break** ]

Titans Tower had now become reminiscent of a ghost town as the team no longer acted as a team. They all remained in their separate rooms and hardly interacted with each other. All they could really do was wait for the day that Starfire left to find her brother and Raven went off to help restore the budding Azarath to its former glory.

As they continued to isolate themselves, the alarm indicating trouble in the city began going off. Robin was the first to make it to the living room. Beast Boy followed soon, but no one else.

"Guess it's just us today, huh?" Beast Boy asked aloud.

"Guess so," Robin responded. "Come on!" He shouted as he dashed out of the room with Beast Boy hesitating momentarily before following him.

[ **scene break** ]

There was a gigantic robot making its way through the northwest park. It was thrashing everything in its path as it made its way to the city.

"Whoa, where did _that_ come from?" Beast Boy looked on in awe.

"It doesn't matter, just take it down!" Robin ordered as he got his staff ready and leapt into battle.

He started whacking the robot on the head to get its attention, which proved to be a successful strategy. The robot turned its head to face Robin as the censor in the center of its head began glowing a bright yellow. It began firing a pink goo, which missed Robin by mere inches. A green Triceratops rammed the robot while its gaze was adverted. It quickly turned and swatted Beast Boy away. He crashed into the ground some feet away as the robot then shot some of its goo which prevented Beast Boy from getting up back up.

"Beast Boy! Hold on!" Robin shouted as he quickly made his way to Beast Boy, narrowly dodging the pink goo that the robot kept shooting.

"Well this could be going better," Beast Boy laughed nervously.

"It's going fine." He said through his teeth.

"Robin! Watch out!" Beast Boy shouted just as a glob of pink goo smashed into Robin, pinning him to the ground.

"Not one word." Robin groaned.

The robot continued to approach the two titans as they struggled to free themselves. Its arms suddenly turned into massive drills that pointed directly at the two.

"Is it still going fine?" Beast Boy asked aloud as he continued to struggle to get free.

"Yes!" Robin shouted back as the robot continued to get closer.

"What about now?"

"Yes!"

The drills were extremely close, and just when all seemed lost a loud explosion erupted and everything stopped. Robin opened his eyes to see that the robot had tipped over onto its back.

"I figured you could use some help," Cyborg smirked as he then started to help Robin out of the goo.

"What are you doing here?" Robin asked.

"What do you mean? We're a team, aren't we?"

"I don't know anymore," Robin looked away.

"Oh look!" Beast Boy shouted. "It's Cyborg, and only Cyborg?" Beast Boy said aloud confused.

"Couldn't get Starfire and Raven to come, huh? So much for being a team."

"Don't think like that, man. We're always gonna be a team, no matter what."

Robin turned back to him with a tight-lipped smile. His eyes then widened, "Uh, Cyborg?"

"I'm almost done, don't worry."

"It's not that, Cyborg,"

"Just chill, Robin. I got this under cont-" He was interrupted as a glob of the pink goo tackled him to the ground.

"Not a single word," Cyborg groaned from underneath the goo as the robot continued to advance on them.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Beast Boy panicked. "Cyborg!"

"Who is it?" Cyborg asked playfully as he was still stuck under the goo with only his legs sticking out.

"This wasn't part of the plan!" Beast Boy cried.

"What plan?" Robin asked in confusion.

"BB?" Cyborg called out to him.

"What?"

"Remember what I said about opening your big mouth?"

"Yeah?"

"Well you're doing it!"

"What's going on?" Robin demanded to know.

"Cyborg made the robot!"

"What?"

"He made it to get the team back together! Raven and Star were supposed to show up with him when he came to rescue us!"

Robin hung his head. "Still think we're always going to be a team, Cyborg?"

"Of course we will," Raven's voice chimed in from above. She had just arrived with Starfire by her side.

"Raven! Starfire!" Both Beast Boy and Robin called out when they saw them.

"Who is it?" Cyborg asked from under the goo.

"Starfire, I'll get them free, you keep the robot occupied." Raven instructed.

"Right," she said as she then flew towards the robot.

Just as the robot shifted its trajectory to her, her fist smashed into its head damaging the censor. Because it was unable to lock on a target the robot began firing its pink goo everywhere.

"Thanks for coming for us," Robin thanked Raven as she used her powers to get rid of the goo.

"Why wouldn't I? We're a team."

"But I thought-"

"That doesn't mean anything," she smiled. "We'll always be a team." She paused as she then stood up. "'Till the end?" She asked as she reached her hand for his.

"'Till the end," he agreed as he took her hand and got to his feet.

"Now that's nice!" Cyborg said as he was still trapped under the glob of goo.

"You help them, I'll go help Star." Robin said as he dashed towards Starfire and the Robot.

"Still think things aren't going to plan?" Cyborg asked, his legs still kicking.

"Dude, how are you still breathing?"

"What?" Cyborg called out. "Yo! You should try some of this bubblegum!" Cyborg shouted.

"Bubblegum?" Beast Boy extended his tongue to taste the goo. "Hey!" He exclaimed with a smile.

Raven rolled her eyes as she got to work on getting the two free.

Starfire was in the middle of delivering a constant stream of punches to the robot as Robin rushed in to help her.

"Starfire!" Robin's voice caught her off guard giving the robot an opportunity to take a swat at her.

She was sent tumbling out of the sky as Robin made a mad dash for her. He caught her in his arms as they both tumbled away from the robot.

"Robin," she said as she looked up at him, "thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," he smiled at her as he set her down. By now the others had joined them as they now all stood against the robot that continued to advance on them. "Can't you just make it stop?" Robin asked Cyborg. "You built it."

"Well," he said as he continued to chew a wad of bubblegum, "I could, but the remote kind of malfunctioned. There's a bunch of bubblegum in the crevices." He said as he pulled on a sticky string of gum.

"Look out!" Beast Boy shouted as the robot shot more clumps of gum in their direction causing the team to split up to avoid getting hit.

"Guess we're gonna have to take it out manually," Robin quipped as he got his staff ready. "Titans, go!" He shouted as they all leapt into action.

[ **scene break** ]

Robin stood on the roof of the tower and watched as the sun caused radiant sparkles to dance along the water. The city was safe from harm once again.

"It truly is a beautiful sight." Starfire noted from behind him.

"Oh, I didn't know anyone else was up here."

"Forgive my intrusion. I did not mean to-"

"It's OK." He said as he turned back to the view. "It really is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes. Robin, I hope that you are no longer upset with my decision to leave."

He turned to her. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at first, but I was reminded that just because you leave for a little while doesn't mean we won't continue to be a part of each other's lives, and that helped me come to terms with things."

She walked over to him. "I am happy to know that you will be all right."

"Of course he'll be all right!" Beast Boy exclaimed from behind them. "He's Robin! He's like a total boy wonder!" He said as he jumped on Robin's back.

"'Boy'?" Robin smirked.

"Teen ... guy ... person?"

"Does this mean you all will be leaving the tower as well?" Starfire asked sounding a little worried.

"I've decided to go to Azarath and help them rebuild. I want to do as much as I can now that my father is gone for good." Raven said as Silkie appeared from behind her robes. "Oh, and don't worry about this little guy," she said as she picked the inching larva up, "I'll be taking him with me just like I promised."

"And you?" She turned to Beast Boy and Cyborg.

"I'm gonna head over to Steel City to help out Titans East. They could use some upgrades in their tower and since I know the most about it I'm just the Titan for the job." He smiled.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna go see how things are going with the Doom Patrol. Rita said Mento has been doing much better."

Starfire then turned back to Robin. "And what will you do?"

"I'll be fine. I might hang out around here for a while, just to make sure everything stays safe in the city." He said as he stared at her. Her eyes drifted away. "Don't worry about me, Star. I'll be fine." He assured her.

"I do not wish to leave any of you, but I must attempt to find my brother." Starfire said with tears in her eyes. "We shall be a team once again."

"Who says we have to stop?" Robin asked as he took his communicator out. "We'll never be apart as long as we have these."

Raven then took hers out and was followed by Beast Boy and Cyborg. They all then turned their gaze to Starfire. She held her communicator close to her chest as she then walked over to the others and put her communicator in the circle with theirs.

"And we shall always be a team?" She asked as she turned to Robin.

"Always." He promised her with a smile.


End file.
